Pakaravur Chithran Namboodiripad

Pakaravur Chithran Namboodiripad was a teacher, educationist and organiser who left a deep mark on Kerala’s schools and arts. He was named posthumously for the Padma Shri in 2024 in the field of literature and education, from Kerala ^[1].

Teacher

He was born on 15 January 1923 and grew up in a small Malappuram village ^[2]. From the age of seven he studied the Samaveda, Sanskrit poetry and philosophy under his father for seven years, and later took an honours degree in economics at Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai ^[2].

Back home, seeing how hard it was for local children to get an education, he started a high school ^[2]. Some years later he handed it to the Kerala government for a token rupee; it is now named after him ^[2].

Education officer

He joined the state education department as a district education officer and retired in 1978 as joint director of education ^[2]. In those years he turned the Kerala school youth festival into a major arts competition for schoolchildren, now one of the biggest cultural events in the state ^[2].

Kalamandalam and after

After retiring he became secretary of Kerala Kalamandalam, the institution for Kathakali, Koodiyattam and Mohiniyattam, and led its troupes on tours of western Europe and the USA ^[2]. He also founded the Kerala State Service Pensioners’ Union, a non-political body for retired government staff, and a Thrissur chapter of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan ^[2]. A keen traveller, he went to the Himalayas thirty times ^[2].

He died on 27 June 2023 ^[2].