Ayodhya: The name of Kandangalathil Karunakaran Nair, popularly known as KK Nair, is set to be commemorated in Ayodhya with the establishment of a memorial on the temple premises. This tribute acknowledges Nair’s significant contributions to the Ayodhya movement and his pivotal role in reinstating the fundamental right to worship for Hindus at the Rama Janmabhumi. A colony named after him has been established on Civil Lane in Ayodhya.
KK Nair was born on September 11, 1907, in the village of Kuttanad, Alappuzha, Kerala, as the son of Shankara Panicker and Parvathy Amma. He completed his primary education at Alappuzha SDV School and later at Thiruvananthapuram University College. After pursuing higher studies in England, he achieved the remarkable feat of securing ICS at the age of 21. Nair joined the civil service in Uttar Pradesh in 1945, eventually becoming the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate of Faizabad on June 1, 1949.
Nair entrusted his assistant, Guru Datt Singh, to assess the Ayodhya issue. Singh’s report, received on October 10, 1949, unequivocally recommended the construction of a grand Ram temple at the disputed site.
On December 22, 1949, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Govind Vallabh Pant, acting on the orders of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, sought to expel Hindus from the temple of Ram Lalla. However, KK Nair, the Faizabad District Collector, defied the order, emphasising that the genuine worshippers were performing rituals and that the move would lead to potential riots and bloodshed.
For his principled stance, Nair was suspended from service by Govind Vallabh Pant. Undeterred, Nair fought the Congress government in court, securing a favourable ruling. Despite returning to service, he chose not to continue as an IAS officer, opting instead to practice law in the Allahabad High Court.
By challenging Nehru’s stance against Hindus, Nair became a symbol of justice and earned the affectionate title of ‘Nair Saheb’ among the people of Faizabad. His commitment to the cause continued as he joined the Jana Sangh, with his wife Sakunatala Nair later becoming a Jana Sangh member of the Uttar Pradesh assembly in 1952.
The Nair family’s involvement in politics extended to the Lok Sabha, where both KK Nair and his wife won seats in 1962. They faced imprisonment during the emergency for protesting against Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian rule. Shri Nair remained a Jana Sangh worker till his death on September 7, 1977.
Despite his significant contributions, Nair’s legacy remained relatively unrecognised in Kerala. A group of nationalists rectified this by constructing a memorial in his hometown, with the support of the KK Nair Memorial Charitable Trust. This memorial, situated on land donated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, not only honors KK Nair but also aims to provide training for civil service aspirants and scholarships for eligible students. Sunil Pillai, the President and Chartered Accountant of the trust, received an official invitation to the upcoming Prana Pratishtha ceremony.
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