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University of Calicut,
Edapally - Panvel Hwy, Thenhipalam,
Kerala 673635, India
Koyilandi Puthiya Maliyakkal Aata Koya Thangal also known as Khan Bahadur Aata Koya Thangal (1866-1924) was a Muslim chief of British Malabar who served as a member of the Malabar District Board and Revenue Board.
Biography
He was born in Koyilandi in Calicut of Malabar district in 1866. Educated in a Dars, he became a chief person of the place possessing a sound knowledge of the important socio-political affairs of the time.
He married Muthu beevi, the eldest sister of the spiritual leader of Ceylone (present-day Sri Lanka) Sayyid Ahmed ibn Abdu Rahman Jifri Pookoya Thangal and had six children in the relationship.
He died at the age of 58, in 1924 during a trial at the Koyilandi court.
He made significant efforts to build the Koyilandi beach road and established a high school in Koyilandi to facilitate education for Muslim students, which was further taken to control by the Malabar District Board. He served as a member of the Revenue board as well. In 1919, he was awarded the honorary title of Khan Sahib by the British for the services he offered to the government. On 5 June 1919, the British government and the Indian Viceroy also awarded him the ‘Sanad’, a letter confirming his authority.
In 1922, he was appointed as a Bench magistrate by the Collector of Malabar. He was also allowed to conduct court activities from his home considering his convenience.
His unofficial court, held at his home was much popular among the people and they met him to resolve issues before taking it officially to court. Owing to the law of the time, he also worked as an honorary magistrate of the Koyilandi court.
