C. Sadanandan Master (born 1964) an Indian school teacher turned politician who is serving as a Nominated Member of Rajya Sabha and Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party Kerala unit.[2][3][4] He is the vice-president of the National Teachers Union (NTU) of Kerala and the editor of its publication, Deshiya Adhyapaka Vartha. [5]
In 1994, at age 30, he was allegedly attacked by the members of CPI (M) party and both his legs were hacked below the knees. He unsuccessfully contested the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections from the Kuthuparamba Assembly constituency, before being nominated by the President of India to the Rajya Sabha in 2025. [6][7][8][9]
Master was born in the village Perinchery near Mattannur, in a Communist supporter family.[10] He completed his schooling at Sivapuram Higher Secondary School, Mattannur. Subsequently, he did his pre-degree course at Pazhassi Raja N. S. S. College, Mattanur (Kannur University), followed by graduation from St. Mary's College, Kuthuparamba. He was active as a member of the CPM during his college days, but later left it due to ideological differences. He gained a B.Com degree from Gauhati University and a B.Ed from Calicut University.[5] In 1984, he joined the RSS through its students’ wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and later worked as the RSS Boudhik Pramukh in Ernakulam.[10][1]
He started his career as a primary school teacher at Kuzhikkal LP School in Kannur. He has held several key positions as president of the National Teachers' Union, Deputy Vice President of BJP in Kerala, Bharatiya Vichara Kendram as a member, and worked in editorial board of BJP's Kerala mouthpiece, Janmabhoomi, RSS Boudhik Pramukh for Kannur.[11]
Over the next decade, he grew in the RSS and by 1994, at age 30, he was serving as the RSS Sahkaryavah in Kannur district. On January 25, 1994, around 8.30 pm, he got down from a bus at Uruvachal near Mattannur, that is when a gang of CPI (M) members allegedly attacked him, pushed him to the ground and hacked both his legs below the knee. They also mutilated the legs so that he couldn't be rejoined surgically. However, after a few months in the hospital, he returned to his school, using prosthetic legs to walk. [10][1]
In the coming years, he continued his teaching career, remained active in Sangh Parivar politics and was a major opponent of political violence in Kerala politics.[5] In the process, he also gained a popular epithet as 'Master' or 'Maashay. [2] In 1999, he joined as a Social Science teacher at the Sree Durga Vilasam Higher Secondary School in Peramangalam, Thrissur.[5]
In 2020, he retired as a teacher from a school in Peramangalam village, Thrissur, and became a part of the intellectual wing of the RSS, Bharatiya Vichara Kendram. [10] In 2025, he appointed one of the vice-presidents of the BJP's Kerala Unit. [10]
He is married to Vanitha Rani, also a teacher. The couple have a daughter, Yamuna Bharati, who is a B.Tech. student.[5]
