Mithavadi C. Krishnan
Mithavadi C Krishnan was the forefront fighter for the implementation of the revolutionary socialist reforms that Sree Narayana Guru peached for the uplift of the downtrodden millions of Kerala. He was called Mithavadi (minimalist) after the newspaper that he published from 1913 to 1938 for spreading the message of the reformatory movement.
He was born on June 11, 1867. He was a well educated personality. Though he could have entered into the government service and risen to higher position by virtue of his education and affluence, he sacrificed all those for leading the backward classes out of the social dungeons to enjoy the sunshine and freedom, like the members of the so called foreward communities, upto his death on 29th November 1938.
He supported the British rule, as he was suspicious of the national freedom that would be won without putting an end to the social inequalities. He worked in the Malabar region for spreading the activities of Sree Narayana Dharama Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), - the association that was formed for fighting for the progressive ideals that Guru formulated for the social uplift of the downtrodden. He object Gandhiji and Congres as they were not addressing the social evils in his speeches, but he was not their opponent. Heb did not believe in the attitude of the Congress Party that social evils could be got rid of after getting freedom for the country.
His editorials warned the rulers when their rulings were against the downtrodden. He wrote in an editorial that the real owners of land is the people and not the King and his government. When the rulers of Russia were overthrown by the revolutionaries, he reminded the Travancore King this once again.
C Krishnan’s life was an example of the dedicated workers who surrounded Sree Narayana Guru who championed the great vision of human equality.