The rulers of erstwhile Travancore kingdom are role models to emulate for those holding key positions in the society, said Defence Minister A K Antony. Speaking after inaugurating the Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Chithralayam here on Sunday, Antony said that the simple life and high thoughts of the Travancore rulers are lessons for the present-day administrators.
Antony said that the photographs at the gallery set up in the Rangavilasom Palace were proof of the excellent photographic skills of Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The gallery is worth visiting for any Keralite, he said.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who spoke on the occasion, said that the gallery would be useful for anyone with an interest on the history of Travancore. The gallery is a valuable treasure for history students, he said. The treasures found in the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple have taken the fame of the state across the world. “The treasure is also proof of the truthfulness and sincerity of the royal family,” he said. Former Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Higher Education Council vice-chairman T P Sreenivasan, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Malayala Manorama executive editor Jacob Mathew and princess Pooyam Thirunal Gouri Parvathy Bai spoke.
