The Indian Biographical Dictionary (1915)/Sankaran Nair, Hon’ble Justice Sir Chetur
Sankaran Nair, Hon’ble Justice Sir Chetur, Kt. (1912), B.A., B.L., C.I.E. (1904), Judge, High Court, Madras; a prominent member of the Nair Community of Malabar; b. 1857; educ: various High Schools, and the Presidency College, Madras; studied under veteran educationists like the late Mr. Edmund Thompson and W. A. Porter: passed B.A., 1877; B.L., 1879; enrolled as Vakil, High Court, 1880; joined service as District Munsiff; resigned and commenced practice in Madras; appointed by the Madras Government as a Member of the Committee to enquire into the State of Malabar, 1884; acted on several other Commissions; was of considerable help to the Government of Madras for the passing of the Malabar Tenants’ Improvement Bill; Fellow, Madras University; nominated to the Madras Legislative Council, 1890; was instrumental in getting the Malabar Marriage Act enacted, being as yet the first instance of a piece of social legislation enacted by the Legislative Council through the exertions of the non-official Members; one of the founders of the “Madras Law Journal”, and was one of its Editors for some time; started and conducted the “Madras Review” for some time; was elected as President, Indian National Congress held at Amraoti, 1897; was also President of the first Madras Provincial Conference; President, Indian Arts Exhibition Committee of Madras, 1903; was Madras Correspondent to various newspapers in London; has contributed to the “Calcutta Review”, the “Contemporary Review”, etc.; was a Member of the Madras Municipality; wrote an account of the Social Customs of Malabar at the request of Sir William Hunter; was for long connected with the Madras Mahajana Sabha, and for some time was its Honorary Secretary; was Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor Madras, 1889 and 1904-07; Advocate-General, Madras, 1907; Judge, High Court, 1908; re-appointed Fellow, Madras University, 1904; Member and now President of the Faculty of Law, 1913; President of the S.P.C.A., Madras. Address: Poonamallee High Road, Egmore, Madras. Club: Cosmopolitan.