He was born as the son of Shri. E. Easwara Pillai (a member of Sree Moolam Popular Assembly) and Meenakshi Amma at Kottarakkara, Kollam district in Kerala on 2 December 1928. He was married to Smt. Manorama Nair and they have one son and one daughter.[3]
He graduated in law as first batch of Government Law College, Ernakulam in 1950 and practiced as a lawyer till 1970. In late 1940's he has also worked as a teacher in a school in Kottarakkara.[4]
Having entered active politics at a young age, he had joined Students Congress while at Annamalai University, then joined Indian Socialist Party (ISP) and subsequently the Communist Party in 1952.
A strong advocate of co-operative movement, he had a long association with the co-operative sector, especially in Kollam district. He was the President of Kollam District Co-operative Bank for more than 29 years and had the rare opportunity of getting elected as the Chairman of All India State Co-operative Bank Federation and the Vice-President of National Co-operative Union and member of the Central Committee of the International Co-operative Alliance and member of Agriculture Credit Board of RBI.[6]
In 1980, Shri. Chandrasekharan Nair was appointed Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee for the formation of Subject Committees, which recommended the formation of ten Subject Committees for the detailed scrutiny of budget, an innovative concept in the Legislative history of India. The Committee formed under his Chairmanship in 1999 had also given recommendations to streamline the functioning of the Subject Committees, after an in-depth analysis of their working.
Minister for Food, Tourism & Law from 20 May 1996 to 13 May 2001
Works and accolades
The concept of "Maveli Stores" aiming at making available essential commodities at fair price to poorer sections of the society, also emerged at his initiative.[9]
He was also the recipient of many honors such as ‘Sadanandan Award’ for best Co-operator and R. Sankara Narayanan Thampi award for best Parliamentarian.
