Panampilly Govinda Menon


Panampilly Govinda Menon was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and lawyer.
He was born in a village
near Kathikkudam and completed graduation from St.Thomas College, Thrissur. He started his legal practice as a junior to Adv. M. C. Joseph. He was the first treasurer of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham. He moved his practice to Ernakulam afterwards.
Later in the 1930s he became prominent in the politics of the Kingdom of Cochin and served briefly as the Prime Minister of Cochin state in 1947.
After the union of Travancore and Cochin, he served as minister for education under Parur T. K. Narayana Pillai and minister for finance under A. J. John, Anaparambil. He was the Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin in 1955–1956. He represented Mukundapuram from 1962 until his death. He became Union Minister for Law and Railways and Minister of state for Food and Agriculture. He was also the political mentor of K. Karunakaran.
In 2006, the birth centenary celebrations of Panampilly Govinda Menon were inaugurated by the then President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Later in his memory a college was built in Chalakudy named Panampilly Memorial Government College.