Honouring Vellappally

#Honouring #Vellappally

The Padma Bhushan conferred on Vellappally Natesan is not merely an individual honour but a recognition of decades of public service rooted in social reform and community empowerment inspired by Sree Narayana Guru. As the long-serving General Secretary of the SNDP Yogam, Natesan has worked to modernise and strengthen one of Kerala’s most influential socio-spiritual organisations, ensuring that its activities remained relevant to contemporary social challenges. 

That he chose to place the award at the feet of Sree Narayana Guru symbolically underscores that this honour belongs to the reformist legacy of equality, dignity and self-respect rather than to personal glory. The Ministry of Home Affairs categorising his contribution under “Public Affairs” is therefore apt, since his work has extended far beyond organisational leadership into the broader arena of social justice and public discourse.

Criticism and ridicule on social media ignore the uncomfortable truth that public life in Kerala has always been shaped by strong, outspoken figures who challenged dominant narratives. Natesan’s forthrightness, often labelled controversial, arose from his consistent attempt to safeguard the interests of his community at a time when political fronts increasingly resorted to selective appeasement and communal arithmetic. 

To single him out for polarization while excusing similar or worse conduct by ministers and political leaders reflects double standards rather than principled objection. In this sense, the Padma Bhushan acknowledges a voice that refused to be silent and an organisation that remained socially engaged for decades. 

Honouring Vellappally Natesan is thus not an endorsement of every statement he ever made, but a recognition of sustained service, institutional leadership, and his role in carrying forward the social mission envisioned by Sree Narayana Guru.

-K A Solaman