C. P. Mathen

Chalakuzhy Paulose Mathen (18 May 1890 – 2 June 1960) was an Indian politician who served as a member of the Indian Parliament in the first Lok Sabha, constituted in 1952 after India gained independence from the United Kingdom. He represented the Thiruvalla constituency of Kerala. Mathen was appointed the Indian Ambassador to Sudan after his single term in the Lok Sabha.

Before his entry into politics, Mathen was a businessman with interests in cashew, minerals, insurance, plantations and banking. He was responsible for starting the Alleppey Chamber of Commerce. He was Managing Director of the Travancore National and Quilon Bank (TN&Q Bank) when it suffered a run of unprecedented length that forced it to close. The bank run was said to have been escalated by Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, the Diwan of Travancore, in an attempt to reduce the power of the Christian Community who were agitating for fair representation in the governing council of the Princely State. Mathen was extradited from Madras Presidency and imprisoned in Trivandrum, allegedly for balance sheet irregularities. He was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment but offered many chances to walk free if he would acknowledge guilt. Mathen refused these offers, maintaining his innocence for more than three years. He became something of a folk hero for his uncompromising stand. He was released on 22 January 1942 without condition or explanation and returned to Madras.