KOCHI, Feb. 5 -- More than five decades after his death, the legend of Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970), the founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS), is reaching the global arena. Mannam, as he is known throughout Kerala, was south India's pioneer in advocating social justice, inclusive growth, and the abolition of anti-people customs and traditions in Nair society. He opened the doors of his family temple to Harijans and members of the backward community, long before self-styled rationalists and atheists staged demonstrations across Tamil Nadu by garlanding Hindu deities with footwear and garbage.
Mannam exhorted the Nair community members not to rest on their laurels but to pursue higher education and utilise their knowledge for the up...