Retired Indian Administrative Service officer, who served as collector of Kannur and Kollam districts, managing director of Travancore-Cochin Chemicals, secretary to various departments, and Chief Secretary of Kerala state.

The founding Vice Chancellor of Sri Sankaracharya University, Kalady.

Composed several hundreds of songs (“Keerthanams”) in South Indian Classical (Karnatik) Music with the pen-name “Thulaseevanam” – which are being sung in concerts by renowned classical musicians.

Born on Pathamudayam day, 23 April 1939, in Mangombil house in Kottayam, Kerala, as the fifth of the nine children of Thumbunkal Ramakrishna Pillai, a mathematics teacher by profession, and Mangombil Bharathi Amma.

Education

B.Sc. (Zoology & Chemistry) 1956 M.A. (English Literature)-1958

Secured first class and first rank in the University of Kerala for M.A. English in 1958; and surpassed the previous highest record of marks for the subject

HISTORY OF SERVICE IN THE I.A.S.

 Joined the I.A.S. in June, 1961

Training: 1961 – 1963

Sub Collector: 1963 – 1965

Deputy Secretary to the Government: 1965 – 1966 (Home Department)

District Collector: 1966 – 1968

Various Secretariat posts (including 15 months  in a public sector undertaking as Managing Director) : 1968 – 1972

Joint Secretary to Government & Managing Director of Travancore Cochin Chemicals

Secretary, Board of Revenue: 1972 – 1973

Appointed as Secretary to the Government in May 1973

Secretary to Government (General Education): May to September, 1973

Director of Public Instruction: 1973 – 1976 (in the rank of Secretary to Government)

Development Commissioner and Secretary (Development) : 1976 – 1978

Appointed to the supertime scale of the I.A.S in the year 1978

Secretary to Government in various Departments: 1978-1986

Appointed as Commissioner & Secretary (now re-designated as ‘Principal Secretary’): 1986

Chief Secretary to Government and concurrently Vice-Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University: 1994 – 1996

EDUCATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Lecturer in English for three years 1958 – 1961.
(Worked in Government Colleges under the Director of Collegiate Education, Kerala)

University

Functioned as member of the Syndicate, the Senate and the Academic Council of the University of Kerala from September 1973 to December 1976. Was also member of many Sub-Committees of the Syndicate dealing with specific aspects of University administration. (Held similar capacities in the University of Calicut also.)

Established a new University, initially as the ‘Special Officer’ appointed by the Government of Kerala and later as its first Vice-Chancellor, in the name of Sri (Adi) Sankaracharya, with its headquarters at Kalady (the birth place of Sri Sankara). This University is dedicated to the teaching, propagation and enrichment of the Sanskrit language as well as research in Sanskrit, Indology, Indian Culture & other Indian Languages. The official name of the University is “Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit”. Nine (9) regional centres of the University were also established at different places in the State of Kerala during the tenure of the first Vice-Chancellor.

General Education

During the period of service as Director of Public Instruction (September 1973 to December 1976) brought about several long-standing reforms in the field of general education.

• Reformed and updated the syllabus; and organized extensive in-service training for

• Reformed the examination pattern of S.S.L.C. – which continued till

• Organised Science Clubs extensively covering all the High Schools of the
• Strengthened the system of “Parent-Teacher Associations” and introduced T.As in all the Schools of the State.

• Expanded the School Youth Festivals (i.e., extensive state-level competitions in performing arts) to the present level; and introduced the system of awarding Scholarships for the State level winners of youth

• Strengthened the Teachers’ Welfare schemes; and laid the foundation for the “Adhyapaka Bhavans” which came up in the State.

CONTRIBUTION TO LITERATURE & ARTS

Under the pen name: THULASEEVANAM

Malayalam

 Author of four Kathakali plays:

• “Bhattāraka Vijayam”
• “Bhāmā Vāsudevam”
• “Pārvathi Parinayam”
• “Kārthikeya Vijayam”

Published a large number of Malayalam poems in different journals & a collection of poems named “Mukthakamāla”.

Published several Malayalam essays in various journals and two collections of essays by name “Sāhithya Jālakam” and “Vihaga Veekshanam”.

Sanskrit

 Published five devotional poetic works in Sanskrit:

• “Shree Vidyādhirāja Suprabhātham”
• “Siva Stava Manjari”
• “Haribhakthi Navakam”
• “Sabareesa sthothra manjari”
• “Ambāpranāmam”

Classical Music

Composed several hundreds of songs (“Keerthanams”) in South Indian Classical (Karnatik) Music with the pen-name “Thulaseevanam”– which are being sung in concerts by renowned classical musicians. These musical compositions have also been brought out as several L.P. Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs, rendered by well-known musicians like Dr. S. Ramanathan, Sri. Maharajapuram Santhanam, Sri. R.K. Srikantan, Sri. T.V. Sankaranarayanan, Sri. T.N. Seshagopalan and Smt. Mani Krishnaswamy.

Upanishats

An acknowledged authority on Upanishadic literature –

(i) Gives frequent discourses on various Upanishats

(ii) has published Malayalam translations and interpretations of the Upanishats.

PRIZES AND AWARDS

•  ‘SAMSKRITHA MITHRAM’ Award – 2003 – Given by Rashtriya Samskrita Samsthan (Deemed University), Manav Sansadan Vikas Mantralaya, Government of India, New Delhi.
• “Sarasakavi Mooloor Prize” 1991 for Malayalam Literature – Given by Mooloor Memorial Foundation – awarded for the anthology of poems named “Mukthakamāla”.
• Sapthami Celebrations Puraskar – 1991-92 – Given for major contributions to various cultural fields – given by the Travancore Devaswom
• Kerala Vikasanavedi Award – 1992 – Given by Kerala Vikasanavedi for meritorious contributions to the fields of Literature, Music and Social
• P. Ramakrishna Pillai Memorial prize, 1995 – Given by T.P. Ramakrishna Pillai Foundation for contributions to Malayalam Literature & Kerala Culture.
• K.K. Nair Award – 1998 – Given by M.K.K. Nair Cultural Centre, Pakalkuri – for varied contributions to Kerala Culture, Literature & Classical Arts.
• Sāhithya Panchānanan Puraskāram – 2004 – Given by Sāhithya Panchānanan Smārakavedi, Thiruvananthapuram for outstanding contributions given to the fields of Arts, Culture and Social
• Vedasree Award – 2004 – Instituted by the Travancore Devaswom Board for outstanding contribution to Temple arts, Indian culture and Vedic
• ‘Athulya Prathibhā Puraskāram’ – 2005 – Presented by ‘Thiruvarangu’ – Arts and Cultural

TRAVELS

 Has traveled extensively all over India; and has also gone abroad five times visiting

(i) Great Britain

(ii) the United States of America

(iii) France

(iv)  West Germany

(v) Austria

(vi)   Switzerland

(vii) Netherlands

(viii) Belgium

(ix) Italy

(x) Uzbekistan

(xi) Russia

(xii) Australia

(xiii) New Zealand

(xiv) Philippines and

(xv) Singapore.

Contact Details

Address

“Maidan Villa”, Hindu Mission Road, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695001

Phone Number

0471 – 2330687

Fax Number

0471 – 2336774

E Mail

rrnias@yahoo.com