I.K. Kumaran was born on 17 September 1903 at Mahe, Kannur district, Kerela. From 1928, he worked as a teacher in the Choodikotta Madrasa and Ottapilakool Mappila School. Upon the suggestion of Muchikal Padmanabhan, I.K. Kumaran became involved in the realm of politics.
There was no political party with an organizational set-up in French India till 1937. Due to this, people were divided among individual leaders. In 1937, the Mahajan Sabha was formed in Pondicherry. The Youth League extended it to Mahe, which started functioning in 1933. I.K. Kumaran and C.E. Bharathan were the leaders of the Mahajan Sabha in Mahe.
After Indian independence in 1947, I. K. Kumaran led the struggle for the merger of Pondicherry with the Union of India in Mahé. On the night of 21 October 1948, the municipal office of the French administration was attacked. During the attack, the French National Flag was removed, and the Indian National Flag was hoisted on the municipal building (Mairie in French). The French regained control of Mahé on 26 October when a French navy ship anchored at Mahe. The ship left Mahé on 31 October.
In April 1954, the Communists tried to capture Cherukallayi's enclave. Two Indians were killed during this struggle. The Indian National Flag was hoisted in the Naluthura enclave on 1 May 1954. The freedom fighters conducted an embargo on Mahé from June of that year. On 14 July 1954, the Mahajan Sabha organized a march into Mahé, which was liberated on 16 July 1954.