Honoured on the 106th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
As India paused to remember one of the darkest chapters in its colonial history—the Jallianwala Bagh massacre—Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a moment to honour a man whose voice rose like a thunderclap in its aftermath: Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair. A jurist, a nationalist, and a fearless critic of colonial oppression, Nair’s legacy remains a powerful blend of legal brilliance and moral firepower.
His story isn’t just a footnote in our freedom struggle; it is a masterclass in courage, conviction, and constitutional foresight.
Early Life: A Flame Ignited in Kerala
Born in 1857 in Mankara village, Kerala, the same year the First War of Indian Independence broke out, Sankaran Nair seemed destined to wrestle with empires. He studied law at Presidency College, Madras, a crucible for many rising stars in British India.
He began his legal apprenticeship under Sir Horatio Shepherd, who would later become Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. These early years honed Nair’s legal sharpness and instilled a sense of justice that would soon evolve into a lifelong crusade against imperial arrogance.
A Jurist Who Dared
By 1899, Nair had become a public prosecutor, and in 1908, a judge of the Madras High Court—one of the first Indians to hold such a post. His stellar career earned him a knighthood in 1912. But unlike many others who used such honours to blend in, Nair used his growing influence to stand out—especially when it came to education and reform.
While serving on the Viceroy’s Executive Council, he focused on modernising education. Yet, it was in 1919 that he truly distinguished himself from his peers by resigning in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre—a move few in his position had the courage to make.
A Freedom Fighter in Robes
Though a man of the law, Sankaran Nair had the soul of a revolutionary. In 1897, he presided over the Indian National Congress session in Amraoti, calling for constitutional reform long before it was fashionable.
His sharp intellect made him a key figure during the Simon Commission discussions, though his views often clashed with the rising tide of Gandhian philosophy. Nair believed in institutional change—slow, structured, and legal. This tension reached its peak when he published his controversial book, “Gandhi and Anarchy” (1922), where he critiqued both British imperialism and Gandhi’s civil disobedience tactics.
He wasn’t afraid to stand alone if it meant standing for what he believed was right.
The Jallianwala Bagh Case: A Man Against an Empire
Few dared to name names after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre—but Nair did. He held Lieutenant Governor Michael O’Dwyer personally responsible. His accusations led to a defamation suit in a British court—a high-profile case that pitted an Indian jurist against the imperial machine.
Though he lost the case, he refused to apologise. The message was clear: he may have lost in court, but not in conscience. His defiance turned the spotlight back on the massacre, ensuring it could never be quietly buried under colonial decorum.
Champion of Social Reform
Nair’s legacy stretches beyond nationalism. He was a vocal supporter of inter-caste and inter-faith marriages, at a time when such views were almost heretical. His ruling in Budasna v Fatima (1914) upheld a person’s right to convert to Hinduism without losing caste status, challenging rigid orthodoxy and sparking important conversations on identity and inclusion.
He also shaped legal thought through his founding and editorial work in journals like the Madras Law Journal and the Madras Review—platforms that advanced both legal scholarship and social discourse.
Legacy: A Name That Still Roars
Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair’s legacy lies not just in the pages of law books, but in the values that form the bedrock of modern India—justice, equality, and fearless dissent.
To commemorate him in the context of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is more than a gesture; it’s a recognition that the path to freedom wasn’t just walked by those in khadi, but also those in black robes, who fought with arguments and unshakable ideals.
In today’s world, where the fine balance between nationalism and dissent is under constant strain, Nair’s life serves as a reminder: True patriotism often begins with the courage to speak against the powerful, in the name of the powerless.