Historian MGS Narayanan passes away

Celebrated for his unflinching confidence, which garnered both laurels and animosity, prominent historian and former chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), Muttayil Govinda Menon Sankaranarayanan, better known as M.G.S. Narayanan or simply MGS, died at the age of 92 at his residence in Kozhikode on Saturday (April 26, 2025) morning.

Proficient in Vattezhuthu, the syllabic alphabet of South India and Sri Lanka as well as Kolezhuthu, the syllabic alphabet of Kerala used for writing Malayalam language, he had also possessed a deep knowledge of Sanskrit. In 1996, he had published his laboriously researched thesis titled “Perumals of Kerala,” exploring the complex political and social dynamics of Kerala from 800 to 1124. Often, he had demonstrated his understanding on this subject.

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His other notable published works include Cultural Symbiosis in Kerala (1972) and Calicut: The City of Truth Revisited (2006). With an admirable scholarly legacy, MGS fearlessly confronted Left-leaning and pro-Marxist historians, resolute in his unshakable convictions, and engraved an indelible mark on the historical narrative at the national and State levels.

Born to Dr. K.P. Govinda Menon and Narayani Amma in Ponnani on August 20, 1932, MGS channeled his early hardships into love for poetry and painting after the loss of his mother at a young age and his father’s remarriage.

His early education took place in various schools and colleges in Kerala and erstwhile Madras, obtaining the first-rank in history from the University of Madras in 1953. Subsequently he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Kerala. He headed the Department of History at Calicut University from 1976 to 1990.

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MGS was elected general secretary of the Indian History Congress during 1982-85 and later its president at the Madras annual conference. He was also a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, in 1974-75, and a Visiting Professor at universities in Moscow, Leningrad, Tokyo, and Mexico.

Incidentally, MGS’s academic activism continued even after his retirement. He had a stint as Member Secretary of the ICHR from 1990-1992 and later became its Chairman from 2001-03.

He authored several books in Malayalam, including India Charitra Parichayam (1969), Sahitya Aparadhangal (1970), Kerala Charitrathinte Atisthanasilak (1971), Kozhikodinte Katha (2001), and Janadhipatyavum Communissavim (2004).

He also conducted research studies that shed light on various aspects of South Indian culture, such as Cultural Symbiosis in Kerala (1972), Aspects of Aryanisation in Kerala bi (1973), and Calicut the City of Truth Revisited (2006). His perspective on history is outlined in Charitrakarante Darsanam (2011).

Not content with mere intellectual discourse, MGS was also a man of action, spearheading social movements aimed at addressing the problems faced by ordinary people, such as the campaign for the development of the Mananchira-Vellimadukuunnu road in Kozhikode city.

He is survived by his wife Premalatha and their two children, Vijayakumar and Vinaya. The cremation will be held at Mavoor Road crematorium at 4 p.m.