Tagore Academy : KM Chandy (green circle), KR narayanan(red circle), Stalwart G. Ramachandran (yellow circle), K.P. Hormis (violet circle)

Prof: K.M.Chandy joined Government Arts College (University College) Thiruvanathapuram for BA (Hon’s) English literature. Mr.G. Ramachandran happened to visit University College for recruiting students to the Congress Organization.  He could impress Chandy and Chandy became a regular visitor to Ramachandran’s residence. Mr. G. Ramachandran took MA degree from Ravindranath Tagore’s Viswa Bharati University and underwent training at Gandhi Ashram. Evenings Chandy brought several students to Ramachandrans residence at Thycaddu. They discussed Gandhian ideology, nationalism, Tagore literature and Tagore’s poems. Dr.Soundram Ramachandran wife of Ramachandran was an active participant. She showed her motherly affection towards the students. These meetings were later led to the formation of Tagore Academy. Mr.Chandy could manage to enroll several students, who were not involved in politics in Tagore Academy. Sree K.R Naryan (Former President of India) was one among them. The Divan sensed the danger from the activity of the Academy and banned Tagore academy. However, Chandy continued the operation of the Academy secretively. The university union elections were manipulated by the Divan. Only supporters of Kings Rule were elected. They Put sons of high ranking bureaucrats or relatives of ruling class as candidates and secretly threatened the students. Mr. K. Balakrishanan son of C. Kesavan was in the University College. They decided to challenge this procedure. Mr. Balakrishnan contested for president’s post of University union and Chandy canvassed for him. Balakrishan won the contest and infuriated Divan and University authorities; expelled Balakrishan and debarred him from university. During the university days Chandy used to attend many political meetings and interacted with congress leaders.  These interactions inculcated deep national fervor in him. In those days Sree C.R. Das, Sree M.K. Kumaran and Sree Ravindra Verma were students at Arts College and they also participated in political activity. 

Prof: K.M. Chandy passed BA (Hon) with good marks. He did not apply for Government jobs though it was very easy to get a job with the University degree. Many of erstwhile colleagues joined government services. His father Sree Mathai Chandy was a leading hill produce merchant at Pala town market. Mathai Chandy had to apply for permits and licenses because he was a leading merchant and business man of Pala. He educated his son for helping him to draft letters to government authorities. On returning to Pala he started working with local congress workers. His father was so affectionate to his son, so it was unthinkable for him to see his son suffer under police custody. His fears were further enhanced by fellow merchants, who taunted him, whenever reports appeared about police brutality and arrests of congress members. They would taunt him that the next victim would be his son. However, his father appreciated son’s activity in his heart. He was a regular reader of Malayala Manoroma, which was supporting the State congress. Prof: K. M. Chandy and his younger brother Sree K.M.Zacharia were sent to Malabar for starting cultivation of agriculture land. Mr. Zacharia was also actively involved in 1938 students’ boycott of classes. They purchased land at Kulluthuvayil of Kozhikode district. However, chandy took this opportunity to participate in national movement. Though the Travancore state Congress was sympathetic to national freedom movement led by Indian National Congress it never directly involved in it. The State Congress was rather interested in securing democratic rule in Travncore. Mr. chandy spend most of his time visiting Congress leaders of Malabar and attending congress meetings. Sree K. Kelappan, Sree Moidu Molouvi, Sree Kozhipurath Madhava Menon, Sree K.Damodhra Menon and large number Congress leaders interacted with Mr. Chandy. Large number of peasants from Travancore were migrating to Malabar due to poverty and deprivation. These people faced lot of difficulty. Chandy brought plight of migrants to congress leaders. Meanwhile Mr. Chandy was down with Malaria. His father asked his sons to sell the land and immediately return to Pala.

 During this period Communist Party of India started different attitude towards national movement. They started anti Jap movement in Travancore. In Pala also they opened a Branch of anti Jap movement. Many congress workers attended their classes. Comrade Shri M.N. Govindan Nair regularly conducted classes. They did it for garnering support for Allied forces of Second World War of which Soviet Union was a part. Initially Chandy attended the meetings; he and others left it, when communists condemned “Quit India Movemnt”. The anti Jap movement considerably weakened Meenachil Taluk congress. Some left congress and Joined Communist Party. Mathai Chandy’s health started deterioting and he stopped his business at Pala town and moved the business to his residence. He obtained a license for ration shop. Soon Mathai Chandy’s health deteriorated further.  He expired in July 1945 and Chandy had to bear the burden of entire family at the age of 24. Chandy changed ration shops licence in his name. Those days ration distribution involved lot of corrupt practices. Chandy fought against these corrupt practices. Huge amount of donations were collected from dealers for Maharajas birth day. Chandy refused to Pay. Travancore State secretary issued a notification cancelling Chandy’s ration license; citing Mr. Chandy was engaged in subversive activities against State of Travancore.

 Mr.R. V. Thomas was dictator of State Congress in Meenachil Taluk committee. Mr. P .T. Chacko was the secretary.  He moved to Kottayam for his law practice. R .V. Thomas appointed Prof: K. M. Chandy as the secretary of Meenachil Taluk committee of State Congress. Sree R. V. Thomas and Prof: K. M. chandy actively organized the freedom struggle in the taluk. They successfully conducted public congress meeting at Pala. This gave boost to congress organization. Divan immediately racked up an old case against Mr. Thomas; arrested and punished him for addressing Maharaja “him” (adhem in Malayalam).  Chandy was also a speaker in meetings addressed by R. V. Thomas. After his arrest the full responsibility of Taluk State Congress committee fell on the shoulders of Mr. Chandy. The arrest R. V. Thomas actually energized the congress. The congress workers became very active. There were several congress leaders in Pala and adjoining places. They were Mr. David Maha Pillai,who was trained in Mahatama Gandhi Asram and Dr. N. K. warrier, who participated in salt march and satyagraha. The youth leaders of Menachil taluk were Mr. T.V.  Joseph Thumbassery; Mr. I. D. Chacko Machianni; Mr. P. T. Chacko; Mr. R .T. Thomas; Mr. Chacko Kadambukattil; Mr. P. S. Gopalapillai; Mr. Mani J. Vettom; Mr. Vettoor , Raman Nair;Mr. K. V. John Koickal; Prof: V. J. Mathai;Mr. P. R. Achuthan; Dr. Thomas Ellamthottum; Mr. P. C. Joseph Puvathunkal and innumerable number of youngsters. The State Congress faced considerable financial crunch. The Second World War caused recession and scarcity. C.P. used these for tactical movement to weaken the Congress. Major Communal organization like NSS and SNDP moved out of the congress agitation for representative rule and religious leadership of Christian communities were not ready to oppose CP.  In these circumstances a large number youth began to move towards communists. I.D. Chacko was one that moved to anti Jap program of Communist Party of India. Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer understood that the British rule is going to end soon. Sir C.P had good knowledge about laws. He argued that once British left India all covenants and agreement British Government entered with native rulers became null and void. Hence Travancore would become free. On 16th January of 1946 he proposed ‘American model of administrative Reform’, which envisaged the Divan would be executive head, with an elected assembly. A swantra Travancore (Independent Travancore) without joining Indian Union was the idea behind this. Soon an order issued on 21st January extending the term of Divan Sir C.P. Ramaswamy  Iyer for five years. By this time Prof: Chandy moved from local politics to state level. He and other youth leaders argued that at any cost they should oppose this move. Many old leaders in the State Congress were not very keen to oppose Divan’s move for separate country. However, large numbers of Congress leaders were of the view a strong agitation and even a violent agitation was necessary to get democratic rule. These leaders included Mr. C. Kesavan; Mr. Kumblathu Sankupillai; Mr. P.T. Chacko; Prof: K. M. Chandy; Mr. Mathew Manniangadan; Ponnara Sreedharn; Mr. Cherian, J. Kappan and Mr. N. Sreekandan Nair. This group was of the opinion that the support of any group, which opposed CP should be sought. They even suggested that they could support Communist party, which already began organizing the labour and peasant community against Independent Travncore and ‘American Model.’ Senior leaders like Pattom Thannu pillai and T.M Verghese were of opinion that Communists would unleash violent agitation.  Mean while Meenachil Taluk Congress committee passed a resolution asking reorganization of state committee with Kumbaluthu Sanku Pilla as president and C. Kesevan secretary.  CP was carefully watching the situation and he thought of creating wedge between moderates and extremist. He selectively released leaders who were opposing Communist connection and arresting others one by one. Youth including Prof: Chandy came to the view that a showdown with the Government and Sir CP was inevitable and to prepare the congress workers they organized training camp at Koottickal near Mundakayam. The Congress workers of Meenachill and Kanjirapilli taluks attended the camp; R.V. Thomas also attended the camp. Several such camps were organized in different parts of the state.  Finally congress leaders agreed that Sir C.P was playing tricks to continue as Divan and delay democratic rule. They decided to oppose the ‘American Model’. Chandy moved around; organized several public meetings; and spoke against “Independent Travancore” and asked people to oppose it. By this time Divan decided to take action against Prof: Chandy