Early Life & Education
Rahul B. R., popularly known as Rahul Mamkootathil, was born on November 12, 1989, in Mundapally, Adoor, in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. He is the son of retired Indian Army officer S. Rajendra Kurup and Beena. He has an elder sister, Rejani B. R. (Wikipedia)
His academic foundation includes:
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Schooling at Thapovan Public School, Adoor, and St. John’s School, Pandalam.
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A B.A. in History from Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta.
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Postgraduate degrees:
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M.A. in English (IGNOU)
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M.A. in History (St. Stephen’s College, Delhi)
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Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam (Wikipedia).
Political Journey
Rahul's political career began in 2006 with the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) during his undergrad days. He swiftly rose through its ranks:
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KSU Adoor constituency president
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District president, Pathanamthitta
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University counselor
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State general secretary of KSU
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National secretary of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI)
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Youth Congress roles: state general secretary, state secretary
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State President of Indian Youth Congress (Kerala) in 2023 (Wikipedia, The News Minute).
In the November 2024 Palakkad by-election, he secured a landslide victory, winning by a historic margin of 18,800+ votes, succeeding Shafi Parambil as MLA (Wikipedia, The News Minute). His popularity among youth and minority groups earned him the reputation of a “rising star” in the Congress party (The News Minute).
Business & Personal Life
Beyond politics, Rahul is a businessman:
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Owns a men's beauty parlour
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Partnered in:
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A medical shop
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A children’s clothing store
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Runs a Milma agency (Wikipedia).
His active social media presence—over 380K Instagram followers (as “@mamkootathil”)—underscores his public outreach and appeal (Instagram).
Recent News & Controversy
Allegations & Resignation
In August 2025, Rahul found himself entangled in a serious controversy:
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Actor Rini Ann George, without naming names, accused a youth leader in Kerala of harassment—sending explicit messages and inviting her to a hotel room. Though unnamed, Rahul was implicated by political rivals (India Today, The Indian Express).
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Writer Honey Bhaskaran came forward, alleging Rahul had messaged her inappropriately via Instagram, and later misrepresented her reactions within party circles (Hindustan Times, The Week).
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Trans activist Avanthika lodged a more serious complaint—she alleged that Rahul sent her “sexually regressive messages” expressing a “rape fantasy” and even suggesting they travel to Bengaluru or Hyderabad to act it out (www.ndtv.com, India Today, The Tribune). She claimed to have flagged the issue internally, but saw no action (www.ndtv.com).
Under mounting pressure:
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Rahul resigned as Kerala Youth Congress State President in August 2025, stating it was his personal decision to spare party workers from distractions, while denying wrongdoing (The Times of India, The Indian Express).
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Despite demands from BJP and DYFI, the Congress leadership refused to ask him to vacate his MLA seat, citing precedent for retaining legislators facing controversies (The Times of India, The Hans India).
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Reports suggest he is now politically isolated, with even youth congress members like Jinto John and R. V. Sneha calling for clarity or applauding his resignation (The Times of India).
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The party has launched an internal inquiry, and police have not registered a case yet due to lack of formal complaints or evidence (The Times of India, The Hans India).
Top Interesting Facts
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Family Legacy: Rahul’s great-uncle is Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, a senior Congress leader. His father served in the Indian Army—highlighting a background steeped in public service (The News Minute, Wikipedia).
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Student Leader to MLA: From leading student unions to becoming an MLA within two decades, his trajectory is notable.
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Dual Postgraduates: Holds master’s degrees in both English and History—a rare combination among politicians.
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Young Businessman: Manages ventures from beauty parlours to Milma (dairy) agencies—diverse interests beyond politics.
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Media Savvy: Regularly appears on Malayalam debates and channels, leveraging media as a tool for political visibility.
FAQs
Question | Answer |
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Who is Rahul Mamkootathil? | MLA from Palakkad, Kerala, and former Youth Congress State President. Rising leader in the Congress Party. |
When did he become MLA? | Won the Palakkad by-election in November 2024 by a significant margin. |
What controversies is he involved in? | Allegations of sending inappropriate messages to women including an actor, writer, and a trans woman. He resigned from his youth post amid rising scrutiny. |
Has any legal action been filed? | No formal police case so far. Party initiated an internal probe. |
Is he still an MLA? | Yes, the Congress has ruled out asking for his resignation as MLA. |
What’s his educational background? | B.A. in History, M.A. in English (IGNOU), M.A. in History (St. Stephen’s), currently pursuing Ph.D. |
Does he have business interests? | Yes—owns a beauty parlour, a children’s clothing shop, a medical store, and a Milma agency. |
How active is he on social media? | Quite active, with large following—Instagram: ~380K followers. |
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