The Progress of Cochin Under the Diwanship of Sankara Warrier

The history of Cochin State which was a buffer in between Travancore and the British district of Malabar played a pivotal role in the modern history of Kerala. The English East India Company became a potential power in Cochin even during the period of Saktan Tampuran Rama Varma (1729-1758) as the architect of modern Cochin. After the revolt of Velu Tampi Dalava (1801-1809 Diwan of Travancore the English officials began to observe very keenly the activities of the Cochin Diwans. Col.John Munro’s centralising policies in Cochin and Travancore (1811-1815) in his capacity as Diwan and as Resident of these states helped a lot in establishing British system of administration in these two native states.In the post John Munro period native Cochin produced only two great Diwans ie.Diwan Sankara Warrier (1840-1856) and his son Diwan Thottakat Sankunni Menon (1860-1879). Sankara Warrier stepped into the Diwanship of Cochin Within a short span the new Diwan set things in the right direction with a view to rectify the mistakes of the past administrators. In the 19th century History of Diwans of India Sankara Warrier occupies a remarkable as a model welfarist Prime Minister of the people.