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New Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
MGS is a historian who salvaged Kerala history from myths and legends, says KKN Kurup
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 92-year-old historian who departed on Saturday, has scripted a new chapter in secular historiography that has a scientific approach. Born in the last decades of our nationalist movement, was able to cherish echoes and ethos of leaders like K P Kesava Menon, K Kelappan, EMS and K Damodaran. MGS arrived on the scene when the studies on Kerala were handled by experts in Malayalam, and scientific historiography was camouflaged by myths and legends. The unification of Kerala in 1956 inspired him to trace the history and culture of Kerala, reconstructing the later Chera Kingdom with exact chronology from different epigraphical relics. He mastered early scripts like Kolezhuthu and Vattezhuth and wrote his magnum opus 'Perumals of Kerala', a doctoral study under the guidance of Prof P K Narayana Pillai. Indian History Congress was held at the fledgling Calicut University in 1974 with more than 700 delegates including top-ranking historians which was inaugurated by K P Kesava Menon. In fact, this meeting of scholars and teachers inaugurated an era of new learning, writing, and teaching of history. This trend could carry on to the present even after his career as chairman of Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR). I have seen many scholars in India and abroad who are specialised in their respective areas. But MGS was one who was able to share his ideas and knowledge in every channel of human creativity and intellectual achievements. For instance, MGS wrote a masterly foreword for my cultural anthropological work, The Cult of Theyyam and Hero Worship in Kerala (Calcutta, 1973). In his early years he wrote poems, cultural articles and guided doctoral dissertations in different areas like traditional historical accounts to the Punnapra-Vayalar agrarian movement. Only a versatile genius can deliver such different goods according to the needs of the client. I do remember his arguments in academic seminars, committee meetings and witnessed his true love and affection to the student community. He encouraged all, including outsiders, to freely air their views and was untouched by personal or academic rivalries. On one occasion he recommended a centre for Kayyur for Peasant Studies in Kasaragod. At the same time, he could write an article for the public on the achievements of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Being highly influenced by the humanism of writer M Govindan in his youth, even in the career as an academician and administrator, he followed benevolent humanism and rationalism. I have more occasions than any other academician to make him a role model, and evaluate him as a student, fellow delegate, speaker, writer, and researcher in different conferences in India and abroad. His academic experiences in Russia, Japan, the US and the Oriental Institute, London, were helpful to his colleagues, students and even the public. MGS could shed light on Indian historiography and deconstruct the Euro-centric, colonial historical writing. William Logan had written in Malabar Manual about scholars who can be branded as 'Sons of Soil' who could write the scientific history of a region to help their historical progress and development. Surely MGS belonged to this category.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
MGS was biggest asset of country's knowledge heritage: Raghava Warrier
Historian M.R. Raghava Warrier termed M.G.S. Narayanan the biggest asset of the country's knowledge heritage. Speaking to reporters after paying homage to MGS, who passed away in Kozhikode on Saturday (April 26, 2025), he said that he, along with other historians, would endeavour to continue the good work undertaken by MGS. 'He [MGS] was a mentor who passed on the light of historical knowledge to various generations. He collected manuscripts and documents from over 100 places in India and Sri Lanka. He was never restricted by any political or religious faith. He believed in universal knowledge,' Mr. Warrier said. M.K. Raghavan, MP, termed MGS's demise a personal loss, as the latter had been his guide throughout his tenure as an MP. 'MGS took care to represent history in an unbiased and just manner at a time when misinterpretation of history had become the norm. He did not succumb to any narrow-minded politics during his tenure as the Chairman of the Indian Council for Historical Research or afterwards. He was a true humanist and a secular person. He fought for the development of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu Road irrespective of his deteriorating health,' the MP said. Wayanad MP and All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said that MGS's contributions to the history of Kerala were exemplary. 'His fearlessness and wisdom will be remembered in the culture and literature of Kerala forever,' she added. Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai said that MGS was a rare talent who combined literary taste, historical knowledge, and language proficiency in the right measure to produce a book. 'Being a deep ocean, he did not create the cacophony of waves but was an irreplaceable leader in every field he engaged in. There could be no one who possessed such knowledge of the old script in Malayalam,' Mr. Pillai added.
