Pandit Karuppan

Who was Pandit Karuppan?

Pandit Karuppan was a poet, dramatist, and social reformer who lived in Kerala, India.

Pandit Karuppan emerged from Ernakulam of Cochin State as a relentless crusader against untouchability and social evils. He was called the "Lincoln" of Kerala for steering socio-economically and educationally backward communities to the forefront. Hailing from a community of inland fishermen who engaged in localised fishing in backwaters and rivers, Karuppan became a Sanskrit scholar, poet and dramatist of repute. As the first human rights activist of the Cochin State, he used his literary skill and organizational ability to combat illiteracy, social injustice, casteism, and superstitions. He campaigned for the rights of lower-caste people, who at that time were not even permitted to enter Ernakulam.