Opposition slams KCHR chairperson appointment amid allegations of search panel bypass and resignations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM A political controversy has erupted over the appointment of Vinodkumar Kallolikkal as chairperson of the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) with some members of the government-appointed search committee alleging that the prescribed selection process was bypassed. Two members of the panel have formally objected to the appointment, stating that Dr. Kallolikkal’s name was neither proposed nor discussed at any of its meetings. Besides, three prominent historians have resigned from the KCHR executive council.

Prof. Kallolikkal, a faculty member in the Department of History at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, had assumed charge as the chairperson on November 7. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the appointment and described it as a deliberate departure from KCHR’s institutional traditions. He pointed out that the council had previously been led by distinguished secular historians, including K.N.

Panikkar, Michael Tharakan and K.N. Ganesh. ‘Reduced to mere formality’ Mr.