G. V. Raja

Lt. Col. P. R. Godavarma Raja (13 October 1908 – 30 April 1971), often referred to as G. V. Raja, was an Indian sports and tourism promoter and administrator, pilot, sportsman and Sanskrit scholar. He took special care in inspiring the youth into sports and was instrumental in founding the Kerala Sports Council in 1953. G. V. Raja occupied the post of Council President till he was killed in a flight mishap in 1971. G. V. Raja also played a key role in establishing the Trivandrum Tennis Club (now called as Thiruvananthapuram Tennis Club), Flying Club, and the development of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. As the spouse of Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi, he became the prince consort of Travancore.

Raja was the founder President of the Kerala State Sports Council as well as Kerala Cricket Association, and patron of a large number of sports clubs and associations. The CricInfo website reports that Raja was the first Keralite to become the Vice-President of Board of Control for Cricket in India, and had he lived, he would have become President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Raja was also the President of Tourism Promotion Council of Kerala. He was the main architect in developing Kovalam as an international tourist spot. He died in an air crash near Kullu Valley on 30 April 1971. Sports journalists, historians, experts and sportsmen consider him as the ''Father of Sports and Tourism'' in Kerala. Raja's birth anniversary, 13 October, is observed as "Kerala Sports Day". Provided by Wikipedia