Travancore rulers outstanding achievements

(Dr. Abraham Karickam, A prominent Kerala based Social activist and Educationist expressed his views after his team met the royal descendant of Travancore yesterday)

 AT THE FEET OF ASWATHI TIRUNAL GAURI LAKSHMI BHAI THAMPURATTI

It was providential that I was able to meet Her Excellency Ashwathi Thirunal Gauri Lakshmi Bhai Thampuratti at Kowdiar Palace yesterday, with a few friends from United Religions Initiative and Kerala Palliative Care Organisation. She belongs to the great Travancore Kings family- descendent of , Sri Padmanabaha Dasa Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja, Sethu Parvathi Bhai Maha Rani and Sri Chithira Thirunal Ramavarma Maharaja. For us it was a dream come true—we were able to touch the feet of a strong link in the chain of our ancient rulers. They were not just rulers. They are still the be-all and end-all of the very life of every Keralite.

Why do we revere them like anything? What ever they gave us, still remain as the backbone of our existential entity:

1. Mullapperiyar Dam-1895

2. Punalur Paper Mills – 1931

3. Trivandrum Airport-1932

4. Travancore Sugar Mills, Thakkala-1931

5. The Public Service recruitment Committee was formed in 1931 ( Later became Kerala Public Service Commission ).

6. Bicameral Legislative Assembly formed in 1933

7. South Indian Rubber Works-1937

8. Travancore Ceramics, Kundara-1937

9. The first University of Kerala- The Travancore University- was founded in 1937

10. Road Transport Corporation-1938

11. Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram-1939

12. Sri Swathi Thirunal Music Academy-1939

13. Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project – First stage completed in 1940

14. Indian Aluminium Company, Aluva- 1943

15. Radio Station, Trivandrum-1943

16. Glass factory, Aluva-1944

17. Travancore Steam Navigation Company-1944

18. Travancore Rayons, Perumbavoor-1945

19. Travancore Bank (SBT)-1945

20. Travancore Cement Factory, 1946 – First in India

21. Travancore Titanium-1946

22. Alind , Kundara-1946

These are only a few initiatives of the Travancore rulers and there are so many more pioneering attempts. I still wonder at the intelligence of our rulers, displayed in hiding the incalculable store of diamonds and jewels worth billions, from the eagle eyes of the European Colonial Powers. Modern rulers think foreign Banks  safe to keep their treasures, but our Kings never allowed a single  jewel to be stolen by the invaders. 

We felt immense joy in touching the feet of such greatness.

--- Dr. Abraham Karickam

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