Kappazhom Raman Pillai, was from a vilakkithala nair community who served as Peshkar of the Government of Travancore and was known for his integrity, conscientiousness, efficiency and unwavering loyalty to the Maharaja. As Dewan Peishcar enjoyed the powers of the Collector, the Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police.
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Personal life
Kappazhom Raman Pillai migrated from pulaman thoppu in Alappuzha to Trivandrum. He was born in 1868. His Janma Nakshatram was Pooram.
Kappazhom married Gouri Amma, from vellala community, the daughter of Kovilvila Lakshmi Amma and Koopakkara Potti. Kappazhom had five daughters — Lakshmi Amma, Narayani Amma, Madhavi Amma, Kartyayani Amma and Janaki Amma. The sons-in-law of Kappazhom — former High Court Judge, Justice P Sivasankara Pillai; former Finance Secretary and Accounts Officer, Neelakanta Pillai; former Assistant Peishcar, Kesava Pillai; and engineer and architect, Narayana Pillai — have also made their mark in the history of Travancore.
Kappazhom died at the age of fifty six on 10 September 1924 (26 Chingom 1100) at Pulickal Veedu, Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram.
The late Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair (a recipient of Kirti Chakra and Ashoka Chakra), ADGP R. Sreelekha, the present Principal Accountant General, Kerala, Mahalekshmy Menon and the Chairman of Kerala State Electricity Board M Sivasankar are some of his illustrious descendants.
Interests
Kappazhom was a voracious reader and connoisseur of arts. He was an intimate friend of the famous Malayalam novelist C. V. Raman Pillai. Kappazhom played the role of a kaniyan when C V's Chandramukhi Vilasom was staged at the Maharajah's College, Thiruvananthapuram. Using 'Angadan' as his pseudonym, he published seven articles in the Malayala Manorama.
Career
Kappazhom began his career as a teacher. Later he was elevated to important posts like Registration Director and Dewan Peishcar.
Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai criticised him for maintaining a good relationship with T Sankaran Thampi, the Palace Manager and right-hand man of H H Sri Mulam Thirunal Rama Varma.
Commemoration
On November 25, 2012 Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi inaugurated a function held to celebrate the 144th birth anniversary of Kappazhom Raman Pillai.