New Delhi, 30 September (H.S.): The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has mourned the death of veteran pracharak, cultural organiser and former Kesari editor M.A. Krishnan, popularly known as “M.A. Sir”, who died in Kochi at the age of 97.

Krishnan was among the early organisers of the RSS in Kerala and played a significant role in expanding the organisation’s activities across the state. He was also closely associated with the founding and development of Balagokulam and Tapasya Kala Sahitya Vedi, which went on to become prominent cultural organisations in Kerala.

In a condolence message, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said Krishnan’s death was a loss not only of a deeply committed senior pracharak but also of a person of exceptional versatility who made contributions across several spheres of social and cultural life.

The RSS leaders recalled Krishnan as one of the early pillars of the organisation in Kerala who worked tirelessly to build its activities during difficult periods and in challenging areas.

They highlighted his contribution to Balagokulam and Tapasya Kala Sahitya Vedi, describing the two organisations as prominent cultural initiatives in Kerala. They also expressed their condolences to Krishnan’s family, his numerous admirers and those who had drawn inspiration from his life and work.

In their message, Bhagwat and Hosabale said Krishnan had worked relentlessly to establish the Sangh’s activities in some of the most difficult circumstances and challenging regions of Kerala.

They paid their respects to his memory and prayed for the departed soul to attain peace.

Krishnan was born on January 17, 1929, at Aivarkala in Kollam district. He joined the RSS as a pracharak in 1954 after beginning his career as a teacher at Vazhoor High School in Kottayam. He subsequently worked as a full-time RSS organiser in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kollam districts.

He became editor of the Malayalam weekly Kesari in 1964 and remained in the position until 1990. During his tenure, he wrote extensively on temples, cultural heritage and social issues and contributed to expanding the publication’s presence in Kerala’s Malayalam media landscape.

Balagokulam became one of the most significant chapters of his public life. The initiative originated from a children’s column in Kesari and later evolved into an organised movement. Krishnan played a key role in providing it with an organisational framework and guiding its expansion across Kerala.

He was also a founder and guiding force behind Tapasya Kala Sahitya Vedi and was associated with several other cultural and social initiatives, including Amritha Bharathi, Balasamskara Kendram, Balasahithee Prakashan, the International Sree Krishna Kendra and Saurakshika, a child-rights protection initiative.

Krishnan served for extended periods as the RSS Kerala Prantha Bauddhik Pramukh and Prachar Pramukh. His long public life also brought him into close association with several literary, cultural and social initiatives in Kerala.

He received the Vivekananda Seva Samman from the Badabazar Library in Kolkata in 2008 and was also honoured with the Veerasree Veluthampi Memorial Seva Award.

Krishnan’s last rites are scheduled to be held at his family home in Aivarkala in Kollam district.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar