author
Sir C. (Chettur) Sankaran Nair
1857–1934
A sharp legal mind and outspoken public figure, he rose to high office under British rule but became best remembered for challenging imperial power after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His life brings together courtroom skill, political courage, and a strong belief in reform.
1 Audiobook
Gandhi and Anarchy
by Sir C. (Chettur) Sankaran Nair
About the author
Born on July 11, 1857, on the Malabar Coast, Sir C. Sankaran Nair built a remarkable career as a lawyer, judge, and statesman in British India. He served as Advocate-General of Madras, later became a judge of the Madras High Court, and then joined the Viceroy’s Executive Council, where he handled education.
He was also active in public life beyond the courtroom. In 1897 he served as president of the Indian National Congress, and he gained lasting recognition for resigning from the Viceroy’s Executive Council in 1919 after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. That decision made him stand out as a rare insider willing to publicly break with colonial authority.
Nair also wrote Gandhi and Anarchy in 1922, showing that he remained an independent thinker even when his views were controversial. He died on April 24, 1934, in Madras, leaving behind a legacy shaped by public service, blunt honesty, and a readiness to challenge power when it mattered most.