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Mukundan Chembakasseriyil Menon (21 November 1948 – 12 December 2005), professionally known as Mukundan C. Menon, was a human-rights activist in India. He helped found a number of India's national non-governmental human rights organizations, including PUCL and National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) in Kerala.[1]
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Menon was born on 21 November 1948 at Chembakassery Veedu in Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district. He was the youngest son of Pulippara Achutha Menon and Chembakassery Kalyanikutty Amma. His siblings were Saraswathi, Parvathi, Prof. Sulochana, (all late) Kamalam, Kumari, Gangadhara Menon and Aravindaksha Menon.
He completed his studies at a local school and later at St. Thomas College, Thrissur.
After graduation he moved to Delhi, working as a freelance journalist in Delhi in 1969–70.[1] He formed the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) and started a public awareness campaign in Delhi.[1]
Menon worked in the Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights in Delhi for the release of the prisoners of the CPI-ML and the campaign to save the lives of the two tribals Kista Gowda and Bhoomaiah who were ultimately hanged during the emergency. This work led to his own incarceration in the emergency years (1975–77). He edited the journal Third World Unity after his release between 1978 and 1980 which became a rallying point for the adherents of the theory of the three worlds which was embraced by the principal revolutionary trends at that time.
As the Delhi State secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties his work was instrumental in paving the way for the Supreme Court directive that the death penalty be used only in the rarest of the rare cases. His commitment to the human rights movement continued subsequently in Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram where he worked as a journalist.[1][2]
Menon's work included live reporting of massacres in Bhagalpur (1980), and massacres of Sikhs during 1984. He acted as a mediator when Ayyangali Army took the Palakkad District Collector hostage on 4 October 1996. During 1981 to 1993, as an investigative journalist based in Hyderabad, he successfully revealed many breaking stories.[clarification needed]
From 1994, Menon was the active voice of human rights movements in Kerala. He was elected secretary of the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO), an umbrella organisation of human rights groups in 1997. He was working closely with Human Rights Watch (USA), People's Watch (Tamil Nadu), SICHREM (Bangalore) and was a regular columnist to Al Jazeera, Rediff News, Indian Currents, Milligazzette and Meantime. In 1999, he received a Human Rights Award from Middle East Malayali Association.[3]
He actively voiced against police atrocities and issues related to tribal people, Dalits and backward communities. His work brought to light issues like police excesses of killing, death of Tangal Kunju and others in Police custody in Alappuzha, and several others human rights violations[3][4]
Menon wrote for Thejas fortnightly, and ultimately became an editorial consultant and the Resident Editor of Thejas Daily.[3] He was also a regular contributor to The Milli Gazette. Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, editor of The Milli Gazette upon learning of Menon's death, said, "We are shocked to know of the untimely demise of our friend Mr. Mukundan C. Menon. He was a great fighter for human and civil rights in this country". He died on 12 December 2005.[5]
Menon wrote against Hindutva fascism, which led to accusations[citation needed] of being a terrorist sympathizer by Sangh Parivar dominated media[citation needed]. He was jailed during the Indian Emergency period. As a human rights activist, Menon vigorously condemned the responsibility of the security forces in human rights violations and the high level of impunity which benefits those responsible for human rights violations.[6]
The National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations awards the Mukundan C. Menon Award annually to human rights defenders, artists, writers, and environmental activists actively involved in defending the rights of the people.[7][8][9] The award was instituted in honor of Menon soon after his death.
Past winners:
| Sl. No. | Name | Year | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr Udayukumar [10] | 2012 | Anti-Kudankulam nuclear plant activist |
| 2 | Ram Puniyani[11] | 2015 | Commentator, renowned writer and rights activist |
| 3 | V.T. Rajshekar. | 2018 | Dalit journalist and editor of Dalit Voice |
| 4 | GN Saibaba | 2019 | Delhi University Professor |
| 5 | Father Stan Swamy.[12] | 2020 | Priest and human rights activist |
He married Lalitha Samuel in 1973, and they had three sons together. Lalitha died in 1986 after giving birth to their third son. Eight years later, Menon got remarried to a woman from Thiruvananthapuram.[citation needed]
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