Panicker

Panicker (sometimes Panikkar) is an Indian title or last name.

Etymology

The Dravidian Etymological Dictionary, entry number 3884, considers the word Panikkan as a word of Dravidian etymology, deriving from the Dravidian root word Pani, meaning service, work etc. Panikkan could mean a person who commands as well as one who serves. The DED traces cognates of the word Panikkan in twelve Dravidian languages, besides Malayalam.

The Portuguese traveller Duarte Barbosa said that "They are the skillful men who teach this art Kalarippayattu, and they are called the Panickers: these are the captains in war."

Spelling

Following the current conventions for Romanising Malayalam without diacritic marks, the name would be "Panikkar". However, Panikker, Panicker, Panickar, Paniker, Panikar, Panniker, Pannikavannar and possibly other variants are to be found.

Notable people

• N. Kesava Panikkar, zoologist
• Ayyappa Paniker, poet
• Putumanna Panikkar , warrior from prominent Nair family of Valluvanad in Kerala, India.
• Arattapuzha Velayudha Panicker, Ezhava warrior of the 19th century in Kerala, India.
• Cheerappanchira Panicker, From Thiyya ezhava kalari martial arts family from Alappuzha District kerala,india.
• Kavalam Narayana Panicker , Indian dramatist, theater director, and poet
• K. M. Panikkar, diplomat
• Muloor S. Padmanabha Panicker, Poet from Ezhava family
• P. K. Narayana Panicker, a former General Secretary and President of the Nair Service Society
• P. N. Panicker, Father of the Library Movement in the Indian state of Kerala ,india
• Geevarghese Panicker - priest and educationalist of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,kerala,india
• Rahul Alex Panicker
• Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker from Ezhava family - The anthropologists Filippo and Caroline Osella consider him to be a forerunner of Narayana Guru in his desire to challenge the prevailing oppression of the Ezhavas.[1]
• Akathayyadi panicker from Ezhava family- Chief commandor of ilayidath swaroopam(Kottarakkara kingdom)
• Ambanattu panicker from Ezhava family-Chief commandor of chempakassery Kingdom. Ref: Pathonmpatham noottandile keralam by Bhaskaranunni
• Lokanatha Panicker from Ezhava family- Chief commandor of kayamkulam kingdom
• Patheenatha Panicker from Ezhava family- Son of Lokanatha Panicker, Chief commander of kayamkulam kingdom who defeated Marathanda varma of travancore 3 times. The name of his tharavadau is Varanappally near kayamkulam where Sree Narayana Guru lived during his education from Kummapally Raman Pilla Asan. Ref: KK SN Directory