Kuttarapattu Chattu Kuttan, the legendary doorman of Colombo’s iconic Galle Face Hotel, has captured fresh attention in Kerala after celebrity chef Suresh Pillai shared his photograph on social media handles. Pillai highlighted how the world celebrated Kuttan, yet many in his home state barely knew his story. “A Malayali the world remembers,” he noted, bringing the diminutive figure back into the public eye.

A journey from Kerala to Sri Lanka

Born in Thrissur district, Kerala, Kuttan lost his parents early and set out at 17 with just Rs 25 and the clothes on his back. Crossing the waters to what was then Ceylon, he began working in domestic service before joining the Galle Face Hotel as a bell boy and waiter in 1942. From there, he became an enduring symbol of Sri Lanka’s hospitality scene, serving the hotel for an astonishing 72 years until his death in November 2014 at age 94.

Meeting the world’s famous

Kuttan greeted dignitaries from across the globe with palms pressed together in the traditional "Ayubowan". His list of encounters reads like a history book: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Richard Nixon, Lord Mountbatten, Princess Elizabeth, Emperor Hirohito, and cultural icons such as Ursula Andress and Laurence Olivier. He even witnessed a Japanese fighter plane crash during World War Two on the hotel grounds.

The signature look and charm

White-haired and sporting a handlebar moustache, Kuttan became instantly recognisable. His broad smile, badges from around the world, and welcoming gestures made him a fixture of the Galle Face Hotel. Guests sought him out not just for greetings but for the warmth and familiarity he radiated.

A life devoted to service

Even after his formal retirement from waitering in the 1980s, Kuttan remained at the hotel entrance, where he “found his true calling,” according to the hotel’s chairman. He returned briefly to Kerala decades later but chose to remain in Colombo, where his family, including a granddaughter, cared for him in his later years. The hotel paid tribute with a minute’s silence, marking the passing of a humble man whose life spanned cultures, continents, and generations of guests.