Shri. K. Kumaran was born to Shri. Madathil Narayanan Nair and Smt. Kollaikal Devakiamma on Jan 17th of 1920, as the second eldest of 10 children. He finished his schooling from Thiruviluamala Government High School and joined Government Victoria college Palakkad, in the year 1941 for his intermediate. While in college he followed Mahatma Gandhi's call for fight against the British for India's independence and took part in Quit India Movement. Quite expectedly he was expelled from the college for this action. He then joined the freedom struggle and was jailed in Alippuram, Bellary for his activities against the "British Raj". Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's call to "Do or Die", Shri. Kumaran managed to escape from Allipuram Jail in 1943. He was arrested in Madras but managed to escape again from police custody. During a second conviction in Bellary jail he was subjected to torture and put in iron fetters under Col. Howe orders. He was released in 1944. Soon after release he went to Mumbai as a full time congress worker and captained the volunteer team for the 1945 AICC session. During this session, he came into contact with Mahatma Gandhi and several other great congress leaders. Mahatma Gandhi believed that India lived in its villages. Heeding to Mahatma Gandhi's call to youngsters to live and die in the villages of India, Shri. Kumaran set forth and put in the place the first modest steps for what was to become a big Institution in his native village Perur. With the help of a small sum donated by few village elders he bought 12 charkas (cotton spinning machines- which was at that time the symbol of  the aspirations of an independent India). That was the inception of Gandhi Seva Sadan (GSS). In 1947, GSS started the first Basic Education School, which was based entirely on the principles of Gandhian education. He was assisted to a great extent by Smt. Sarojini, who got trained in Basic Education in Gandhi Ashram, Thiruchangode and was fortunate to personally recieve the certificate from Mahatma himself. Soon Sarojini married Kumaran and both became involved in Basic education in Perur village. During 1947, GSS also started its village industries section, whose products became very popular in the area and provided employment to a few hundred people. In 1948, wife of Sir. Archibald Naye (British High Commisioner to India) asked Shri. Kumaran to be in charge of the Faridabad refugee camp and offered him all financial support that is required for running GSS, if he took up that responsibility. Though GSS was not very prosperous, Kumaran felt that money alone would make no difference to his village. He was convinced that his personal presence and involvement is essential for the activities of GSS. Therefore he stayed back in his native village and continued his work. Shri. Kumaran believes that education and health are the most important ingredients for the success of an individual. In 1949, GSS started Kelappaji Memorial Hospital for the benefit of the villagers. GSS continued to grow with the introduction of a teacher's training institute in 1951 and a Kathakali Academy in 1953. As a result of his perseverance and hard work, GSS presently occupies a central spot in the areas of art and school education in Kerala State. GSS has been graced by several national leaders among whom  the names of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Acharya Kripalani, Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Vino Bhave, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Kulapathi K. M. Munshi are worth mentioning.  Presently Shri. Kumaran continues the efforts in his native village and his 84th birthday was celebrated on the 17 th of Jan, 2005.