The king who graduated from Maharajas College

KOCHI: Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, has produced many politicians, civil servants and scientists. For the first time in the institution’s 150-year history, it can boast of a King in its long list of celebrated alumni. N Binu, now known as Raman Raja Mannan, was crowned the 16th King of Kozhimala on Sunday.N Binu is the first graduate to lead the 15,000-strong Mannan tribal population spread over Idukki, Palakkad, Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta. The 25-year old is currently a Scientist Assistant at the Geographical Information System at Periyar Foundation.“My most important goal as king will be to provide education to all my people. Education will better the condition of tribesmen. Poverty can be eradicated only through educating the present generation. “One problem with the children here is that they drop out from school to work in the cities. There are very talented students among us, and they must be given higher education. We must use the facilities provided by the government for tribal welfare,” Binu said.The coronation of Raman Raja Mannan was conducted in the afternoon at Kozhimala temple. His wife, Bindhu, will be the new queen, and daughter Archana the princess of the tribe.Balu, a senior scientist at the Periyar Foundation, said, “It is an honour for us to have a King among us. Binu is very ambitious. We hope that the condition of the tribesmen will better under Binu.” Sunil Menon, Head of Economics Department, Maharaja’s College, said, “He was a good leader while he was at Maharaja’s during 2005-2008. He was active in campus politics.”Binu succeeds Aryan Raja Mannan, who passed away on December 28, 2011.