Pattom A. Thanu Pillai (15 July 1885 – 27 July 1970) was an Indian lawyer and statesman from Thiruvananthapuram. He led the Travancore State Congress in its struggle for responsible government in the princely state, became the first Prime Minister of Travancore in 1948, and was later Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin and, from 1960 to 1962, of Kerala. He ended his career as Governor of Punjab and of Andhra Pradesh. He is the only person to have headed the government of all three political units.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Pattom A. Thanu Pillai |
| Born | 15 July 1885, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore |
| Died | 27 July 1970 (aged 85), Thiruvananthapuram |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
| Offices | Prime Minister of Travancore (1948); Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin (1954–1955); Chief Minister of Kerala (1960–1962); Governor of Punjab (1962–1964); Governor of Andhra Pradesh (1964–1968) |
| Parties | Travancore State Congress; Indian National Congress; Praja Socialist Party |
| Education | Maharaja’s College, Thiruvananthapuram; law degree |
Early Life
Thanu Pillai was born in the Pattom quarter of Thiruvananthapuram, the name by which he was always known. He graduated from the Maharaja’s College, worked for a time as a teacher and as a clerk, took a law degree and became a leading advocate in the courts of Travancore. He entered the state’s legislature in the 1920s and soon gave up his practice for public life.
Struggle for Responsible Government
Travancore was ruled by a Maharaja through a Dewan, with a legislature of limited powers. In 1938 the Travancore State Congress was founded to demand a government responsible to an elected assembly, and Thanu Pillai became its first president. The Dewan, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, banned the organisation; its leaders, Thanu Pillai among them, were jailed repeatedly, and police firing on demonstrators that year left many dead. The agitation was renewed in the 1940s. In 1947 the Dewan announced that Travancore would become an independent country when the British left; after an attempt on his life he resigned, and the state acceded to India.
Head of Three Governments
Elections under adult franchise were held in early 1948, and on 24 March Thanu Pillai took office as the first Prime Minister of Travancore. Differences within his own party forced him to resign that October. He left the Congress and joined the socialists, becoming the leader of the Praja Socialist Party in the state.
Travancore and Cochin were merged in 1949. In March 1954 he formed a minority Praja Socialist government with Congress support. In August that year the police fired on Tamil-speaking demonstrators in the south of the state who wanted their area joined to Madras, killing several people. The incident divided his party nationally, and the ministry fell in February 1955.
He was a leader of the “liberation struggle” of 1959 against the first communist government. In the election of 1960 his party, the Congress and the Muslim League fought together and won, and although the Praja Socialists were the smaller partner he became Chief Minister on 22 February. The Congress, restive under the arrangement, secured his departure: on 26 September 1962 he resigned to become Governor of Punjab.
Governor
He was Governor of Punjab until 1964 and of Andhra Pradesh until 1968, when he retired to Thiruvananthapuram.
Character and Legacy
Thanu Pillai was known for strict personal integrity, a formidable temper and an unbending will; admirers and critics both called him autocratic. He died in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 July 1970. The locality of Pattom, a major junction of the capital, carries his statue, and he is remembered as the chief figure in the democratic movement that turned a princely state into part of modern Kerala.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Pattom Thanu Pillai born?
Pattom Thanu Pillai was born on 15 July 1885 in Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore.
When did Pattom Thanu Pillai die?
Died: 27 July 1970 (aged 85), Thiruvananthapuram.
What is Pattom Thanu Pillai’s occupation?
Occupation: Lawyer, politician.
Featured image: Pattom A. Thanu Pillai, official portrait as Governor. Photo by Telengana Raj Bhavan, Government of India, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
