M. R. Ry. Dewan Nanoo Pillai (1827–1886) was a Travancorean statesman who served as the
Diwan of
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
from 1877 to 1880.
Early life
Nanoo Pillai was born in a
Nair
The Nair (, ) also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom hi ...
family of
Neyyoor village of
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
in 1827 as the son of Mekkottu Kariyavila Veettil Nagan Thampy and Easwari Pillai. He was educated privately had his English schooling at the
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed tradition, Reformed in outlook, with ...
seminary in
Nagercoil
Nagercoil, natively spelt as Nāgarkovil (, "Temple of the Nāgas", or Nagaraja-Temple), is a Municipal Corporation city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the ...
. While young, he caught the attention of General
Cullen, the English Resident. He volunteered to work for the General as a translator and later as a secretary in the Resident's office.
Civil service
After serving for 14 years in the Resident's office, Nanoo Pillai joined the Travancore service as Assistant Sheristadar. With a strong recommendation from the then Diwan,
Sir T. Madhava Rao, Nanoo Pillai was promoted to be Dewan Peishkar of the Southern Division. He was soon transferred to the Travancore division and officiated as the Dewan in Madhava Rao's absence on six occasions and was eventually appointed as the Diwan on the retirement of Seshayya Sastri in August 1877.
[
]
As Diwan
As Diwan of Travancore, Nanoo Pillai brought reforms in the Revenue Settlement introducing the transfer of registries. He also brought measures for irrigating the Southern Division and formulated the Kothayar Project before retiring in 1880.
References
*
Biographies
*
{{Kingdom of Travancore
1827 births
1886 deaths
Diwans of Travancore