Anizham ThirunalMarthanda Varma (Malayalam: അനിഴം തിരുനാൾ മാർത്താണ്ഡവർമ്മ) was the founding monarch of the southern Indian Kingdom of Travancore (previously Venadu) from 1729 until his death in 1758.
Ruthless in his ambitions and vendetta, courageous in his military conquests, Martanda Varma left behind a rich legacy of administrative and economic reforms, war triumphs and military might, and cultural renaissance, etching his name in the annals of Kerala’s history as the proud builder of a new, expansive and modern Travancore kingdom. Like the Victory Column that stands anonymously, uncared for and uncelebrated in modern India, his place in scripting a unique victory of an Indian sovereign against a powerful European force, ensuring its total collapse thereafter from the country, though forgotten, remains cherished and worthy for all times to come.
Sampath V. (2022). Bravehearts of Bharat : vignettes from indian history. Penguin Random House India
