Keezhootu Balakrishna Pillai Ganesh Kumar was twice elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from the Pathanapuram constituency in Kollam district. Born in 1966 with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, this young man graduated in commerce from the Government Arts College, Trivandrum, before joining the Malayalam film industry as an actor. He made his debut in the 1985 film "Erakal". A man of great versatility and impeccable taste, Ganesh Kumar has acted in a variety of Malayalam films and television serials.
Ganesh Kumar is the son of R Balakrishna Pillai, the grand old man of Kottarakara. Balakrishna Pillai had been elected once to the Lok Sabha and eight times to the Kerala Assembly, and had served several terms as Minister. Ganesh Kumar initially focused on his film career and eschewed politics, but when the situation demanded his active involvement, he was quick to rise to the occasion. In fact he took to politics as a fish takes to water.
In 2001, Ganesh Kumar was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from the Pathanapuram constituency on the Kerala Congress (B) ticket. This was the first time in the history of Kerala that a cine artiste had been elected to the Assembly. Balakrishan Pillai had also been elected from the neighbouring constituency of Kottarakara, which he had represented for several decades. The father-son duo made history by becoming the first such pair to adorn the Kerala Assembly simultaneously.
Ganesh Kumar was appointed as Transport Minister in the A K Antony cabinet in May 2001. He surprised many by his political acumen and went on to give a good account of himself. Though only 34 years old and a political novice, he turned around the ailing KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) in record time and earned a reputation for providing a clean and efficient administration. In March 2003, he stepped down from his ministerial post to facilitate his father’s induction into the Cabinet.
In the 2006 Assembly elections, Ganesh Kumar was once again elected from Pathanapuram. This time he was the only UDF candidate elected from Kollam district, where the LDF won 11 out of 12 seats. His increased victory margin clearly indicated that his popularity remained undiminished.
Ganesh Kumar divides his time been the demands of his constituency and his acting profession. In May 2008, he performed a daring fire escape act at Kozhikode for the telefilm "Agnisakshiyay." In November 2008 he won the State Award for Best Television Actor (2007) for his role in the serial "Madhavam", aired on Surya TV. A man of diverse interests, his over-riding fascination for vehicles includes transport buses and even pachyderms.
