Who is Mohanan Kunnummal, Kerala V-C at centre of Governor-government tussles?

Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS), has been at the center of numerous controversies related to his tenure and his interactions with government officials. Known for his specialization in radio-diagnosis, Kunnummal made headlines in August 2025 when he claimed that "foreign forces" were attempting to transform young people into cockroaches.

This statement came after he defended the recitation of Vande Mataram at an RSS event following the Congress-led government's decision to omit it from official Independence Day ceremonies.

Kunnummal's career has been marked by repeated challenges from both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Congress party, who have accused him of being part of the "saffronization" of higher education in Kerala. His appointment as KUHS Vice-Chancellor in 2019 by then-Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, without following the recommendations of a search committee, was one of his earliest controversies.

This was followed by his appointment as the acting V-C of the University of Kerala in 2023, despite the Senate being dominated by CPI(M) members. The move was justified by Khan as acting at the behest of the CPI(M) government.

The situation intensified when Kunnummal's tenure as KUHS Vice-Chancellor was extended in 2024, leading to legal challenges by the CPI(M) in the Kerala High Court. Kunnummal's actions have also drawn attention for his attendance at events organized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), further fueling political tensions. Despite the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coming to power in May 2025, Kunnummal continued to be a focal point in ongoing disputes between the Governor's office and the state government.