Shri. Kalathil Velayudhan Nair
He is one of the founder members of the Kerala Law Academy and he was instrumental in establishing the Academy. He was the backbone and a tower of strength for the Academy. He was member of the executive committee and Governing Council of the Academy from the date of its establishment till the date of his death. He was also elected as the President of the Academy. It was his far-sightedness and the inspiration that led to the establishment of the Academy’s Research Center.
He was a leading Senior Lawyer at the High Court of Kerala and most of his juniors became reputed lawyers. He was most respected at the Bar and he earned a reputation and acclaim as one of the greatest lawyers of his time and his office had the highest number of briefs during his time.
He was a leader of the national movement and has served as an administrator of the Travancore- Cochin Ministry. He was a farsighted statesman. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Travancore Cochin in 1952 and became the Minister for Electricity, PWD and Transport in A.J. John’s Ministry of Travancore-Cochin State from March 1952 to September 1953. He was elected as the President of the Nair Service Society (NSS) and later became the first President of National Democratic Party (NDP). He was also the member of Senate and Syndicate of the University of Kerala. He made his firm imprints in whatever field he ventured. A road in the Ernakulam City is named after him. Born in January 9, 1912 to Krishna Pillai. R and Leshmy Amma, he died on September 1, 1976. His death was a big loss to the Academy. The library building of the Academy’s Research Center at Punnen Road is named after him and a Professor’s Chair has been established in his name at the Academy as “Kalathil Velayudhan Nair Professor of Law”, which is being presently held by Professor, Dr. Ravikumar.
Shri. K. Chandrasekharan
He is one of the founder members of the Academy and has been the member of Governing Council and Executive Committee of the Academy from its inception till his death. He was selected as the President of the Academy for a long period and was actively involved in the affairs of the Academy till his death.
He was elected to the Kerala legislative Assembly in 1960 and became Cabinet Minister for Law and Revenue in the second Kerala Government (2nd Legislative Assembly) Ministry of Shri. Pattom. A Thanu Pillai from 22.02.1960 to 26.09.1962 and in the Ministry of Shri, R. Sankar from 26.09.1962 to 08.10.1962 and as Minister for education from 26.03.1987 to 1991 in the Ministry of E.K. Nayanar.
He was part of India’s freedom struggle and a leader of the socialist movement in Kerala. He was leader of the Janata Party and was member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for a long period continuously. He was also Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). He was a successful and highly respected senior lawyer of the High Court of Kerala and along with Shri. Chandrasekhara Menon, (who later became Judge of the High Court of Kerala),he started the law firm “M/s Chandrasekharan and Chandrasekharan”, which is one of the leading law firms in the Kerala High Court today. He was designated a Senior Advocate in 1994 by the full Court of the Kerala High Court. He passed away on 15.08.2006 and the Academy lost one of its leaders.
Shri. S. Easwara Iyer
He was one of the founder members of the Kerala Law Academy and was member of the Governing Council and Executive Council of the Academy. He was one of stalwarts and a most famous name in legal profession and was a successful and reputed lawyer of the High Court of Kerala and had appeared in several high profile and sensational cases. He had several juniors who later became reputed in the Bar. He was also a political activist and he was elected as Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) in 1957 defeating his close rival, Shri. Pattom Thanu Pillai, former Chief Minister of Travancore State. Thus he became the first Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, the Capital City of Kerala since the formation of Kerala and served as M.P. from 1937 to 1962. He died in 1998. He was a member of the Executive Council of the Academy and was actively associated with the Academy till his death.
Justice S. Subramanian Potti
He was one of the founder members of the Academy and continued as member of Executive Committee and Governing Council from its inception for a period of 10 years, after which his pre-occupations did not allow him to be a member of Governing and Executive Council of Academy. However he continued to be actively associated with the Academy till his death.
He is the former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, who delivered, the most sensational judgment in Rajan case, which led to the resignation of the then Home Minister of Kerala, Shri. K. Karunakaran. He also served as Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court. He died in the year 1997. His contributions to the development of law and law reform as a judge, were substantial. Before being elevated as judge of the Kerala High Court, he held the post of the Advocate General of Kerala. His contributions to the development of the Academy were immense and his death was a real loss to the Academy.
Shri. M Ramakrishna Menon
He was the Chief Administrator and Administrative Officer of the Academy since its formation and worked as such till 1988. He was pivotal in guiding the functions of the Academy in the right direction during its formative days. The Academy was able to undertake programmes in the right earnest due to his earnest efforts. He was a strength for the activities of the Academy. He died in 2002. But for him, the activities of the Academy would not have been in the right track. The management of the affairs of the Academy was at ease with him in the helm of affairs and smooth functiong of the Academy during the initial years was ensured. An endowment has been instituted in the name of Late M. Ramakrishna Menon, as“M.Ramakrishna Menon Memorial Endowment” awarding scholarship to one first year LL.B (5 year) student who scores highest marks in the first semester of the 5 year LL.B. Course and providing ascheme for providing scholarship /freeship to eligible students.
Justice P. Govinda Menon
He was the first Principal and director of the Academy. His contributions to the development of the Academy in its initial stages have been immense. He was judge of the Kerala High Court from 15.12.1959 to 27.10.1966 and after his retirement he assumed charge as Principal of the Academy in 1967 and in 1969 he assumed charge as Director of Legal Studies of the Academy. As judge of the High Court he made valuable contributions to the development of Criminal Law jurisprudence and principles. He was born in Calicut and was actively involved in the political life of Calicut. He was Mayor of Calicut City (Kozhikode) and was the founder of Calicut City football tournament. He died in 1998. To commemorate his memory, the annual National Client Interviewing and Counseling competition is conducted by the Academy which is being continuously held every year without break since 2001.
Shri. B. Dharmarajan
B. Dharmarajan, was the Principal of the Academy, and was associated with the Academy from its inception as a member of the teaching faculty. He had extraordinary and unique capability and talents in the lecture method of teaching and earned the reputation as the best teacher in the lecture method. He gave a name and fame to the Academy by his extraordinary ability of delivering mesmerizing lectures and was instrumental in the growth of the Academy during its formative years. His lectures were unique and a master piece and had illustrations, explanations and narrations which were mind captivating and fascinating. His untimely death in 1998 was an irreplaceable loss to the Academy and the legal faternity as a whole. To commemorate his memory a lecture series is organized by the Academy. Read more >>
Shri. C. Kuttikrishnan
Shri. C. Kuttikrishnan, who was Senior Researcher at the Research Center of the Academy and Senior Lecturer at the Academy, was the backbone of Academy in its major activities. He joined the Academy after voluntarily resigning from his post of Joint Secretary in the Government Secretariat and sacrificing his bright future career and promotion prospects at the Government Secretariat. He was a legal writer par excellence and was the architect of the Academy Law Review and other publications of the Academy. His untimely demise in 1989 was the biggest loss suffered by the Academy. To commemorate his memory, a Lecture series is organized by the Academy. Read more >>