Panampilly Govinda Menon was a devout freedom fighter, an upright patriot, an accomplished administrator and a statesman of rare stature. He was also a brilliant orator, a distinguished lawyer, a devoted social activist, a pragmatic visionary, a passionate environmentalist and a connoisseur of arts and music and also a prolific writer. A man with such political experience as well as proficiency in diversified areas of acquaintance Panampilly was portrayed as an ‘intellectual giant’ by many of his generation. He was an embodiment of integrity, social and intellectual sensitivity and uprightness. He was one among the founders and path-finders of modern India.

   Menon was an outstanding political leader of the erstwhile kingdom of Cochin. He was elected to the Cochin Legislature in 1935 and subsequently re-elected successively in 1938, 1945 and 1948. He joined the Government of Cochin as Minister of Food and later became the Prime....