Shankaran Nair Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Akshay Kumar is back with another power-packed patriotic movie, Kesari chapter 2 in which he has shed light on one of the least known Indian freedom fighters, Sir Shankaran Nair. Akshay has played the role of Shankaran Nair whose contribution in fighting against Britishers in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is lesser known.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mentioned Shankaran Nair in his speech saying, “This aspect is manavta ke saath, desh ke saath khade hone ka buland jazbe ka. Is jazbe ka naam hai Sankaran Nair… Inspired by Jallianwala Bagh, he raised his voice against British atrocities… He was from Kerala and the incident took place in Punjab. He fought on his own.”
Shankaran Nair: Played By Akshay Kumar In Kesari 2
Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair was one of the boldest voices during British rule in India. Born in 1857 in Mankara village, Kerala, into a respected family, he studied law at Presidency College in Madras and started his legal career under Sir Horatio Shepherd.
He was sharp, honest and deeply committed to making society better. In 1897, he became the youngest person to be elected President of the Indian National Congress. By 1908, he was a judge at the Madras High Court. One of his major judgments in 1914 supported the rights of people who converted to Hinduism, showing how progressive and fearless he was, especially in matters of religion and social reform.
His blunt honesty didn’t sit well with the British rulers or even some conservative Indians. The British Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montague, once called him “impossible” and “absolutely uncompromising” but that was just proof of how bold and outspoken he really was.
Everything changed after the horrifying Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919, when British troops killed hundreds of peaceful protestors in Amritsar. At that time, Sankaran Nair was part of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, a very high position. But instead of staying silent, he chose to resign in protest.
Shankaran Nair Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Shankaran Nair also wrote a book called Gandhi and Anarchy, where he directly blamed Michael O’Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, for the massacre. O’Dwyer sued him for defamation in a London court. Despite facing a British judge and jury, Nair didn’t back down. Even when O’Dwyer offered to drop the case if Nair apologized and paid £500, he refused. That trial exposed not just British brutality but also how biased their legal system was.
Sankaran Nair’s bravery made a huge impact on India’s freedom struggle. He wasn’t just a lawyer or a judge, he was someone who stood up for what was right, even when it was risky. His story is told in the book The Case That Shook the Empire, written by his great-grandson Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat. And now, his legacy will also be brought to life in the film Kesari Chapter 2.
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