Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam

The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (S.N.D.P) is a social service organization that has been representing the Ezhava community from the Indian state of Kerala since 1903.

Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
AbbreviationSNDP
Formation15 May 1903 (1903-05-15)
FounderDr. Padmanabhan Palpu
TypeSocial equality promoting organisation
HeadquartersKollam
Location
Official language
Malayalam
Life time Chairman
Sree Narayana Guru
Parent organization
Vavoottu Yogam
Websitesndpyogam.co.in
Sri Narayana Guru

The S.N.D.P Yogam was founded by Dr. Padmanabhan Palpu and other Ezhava leaders with the blessing of Narayana Guru. The organization aimed to lead the community to the religious reform movement and to achieve economic prosperity and educational opportunities. The organization has also been playing a significant role in the Kerala social and political movements since its formation.[1][2]

Sree Narayana Trust

The Sree Narayana Trust is founded by the SNDP Yogam to start, and manage educational, social, and economical institutions with the vision of Narayana Guru. Combined both the Yogam and the Trust present annual budgets of about ₹2,000,0000,00 (two hundred crore INR or US$24 million).[3][4]

Currently, the organization runs several educational institutes, hospitals, and other institutions.

Mission

The S.N.D.P yogam is based on the principles and philosophy of Narayana Guru. Guru devoted his life to working against the social and economical inequality, casteism, and superstitions in the Kerala society. The Yogam has the moral responsibility and the social duty to model the Sree Narayana dharmas.

History

SNDP was founded in 1903 by Dr. Padmanabhan Palpu with the guidance and blessings of Narayana Guru. SNDP was the first organization to envisage Kerala as a whole.

Vavoottu Yogam expanded and formed an organization known as Aruvippuram Kshetra Yogam. The Aruvippuram Temple Society, known as Vavoottu Yogam emerged in 1888.

During the 1890s, there was an oppressive caste system in Kerala. Padmanabhan Palpu, better known as Dr. Palpu, started working towards ensuring the rights of the then identified backward communities. With the 1891 Malayali Memorial Revolt, he took the leadership of the then oppressed community named Ezhava, and attempted to begin an organization called Ezhava Sabha. In 1896, he created the organizations' by-laws and published the law in Malayali, a newspaper published from Thankussery. He organized a few meetings at Paravur and Mayyanad, before the movement failed.

On January 7, 1903, a special meeting of Aruvippuram Kshetra Yogam was conducted. They decided to enlarge the organization to support the progress of all backward communities both religiously and materially. Thus, on May 15, 1903, with Narayana Guru as its president, Aruvippuram Kshetra Yogam was registered as Aruvippuram Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam according to the Indian Companies Act, No.6, 1882.

The deity at the Sree Bhavaneeswara temple, Lord Shiva, was consecrated by Narayana Guru on March 8, 1916 (24-07-1091 M.E.). After the ceremony, he laid the foundation stone for the Lower Primary School under the SNDP.

List of Presidents

List of SNDP Yogam Presidents from 1903 [5]
NoS.N.D.P Yogam PresidentYears
1Sri Narayana Guru1903 -1928
2Madavan Vydyar1929 -1933
3C Krishnan1933 -1938
4M Govindan1939 -1940
5K Ayyappan1940 -1943
6V.K Panikkar1943 -1944
7V.K Velayudan1944 -1945
8M Govindan1945 -1951
9Dr. P.N Narayanan1951 -1953
10K Sukumaran1953 -1954
11R Sankar1954 -1956
12V. G Sukumaran1956 -1960
13K. I Velayudan1960 -1961
14M Achuthan1961 -1966
15C.R Kesavan Vydyar1966 -1970
16Administrator rule1970 -1971
17K.T Achuthan1971 -1973
18N Sreenivasan1973 -1978
19Prof. P.S Velayudan1978 -1982
20M.K Ragavan1982 – 1988
21K.K Viswanathan1988 -1992
22K.G Sreenivasa panickar1992
23Dr. K.K Rahulan1992 – 1996
24A.S Prathapsingh1996 – 1999
25Adv. C.K.Vidhyasagar1999 – 2006
26K.Kamalasanan2006 – 2006
27M.B.Sreekumar2006 – 2007
28Dr.M.N.Soman2007-

See also

References