The diwans of Cochin assisted the rulers of the Kingdom of Cochin in administering the state. From the 19th century onwards, the diwan or Prime Minister was an administrator selected by the Raja with the advice of the Government of India. Usually, the diwan was a high-ranking official of the Indian Civil Service, covenanted as well as uncovenanted. In Cochin and Travancore, the diwan was also known as Dalavoy.
The following is a list of diwans of Cochin 1812–1818 Col. John Munro 1818–1825 Nanjappayya 1825–1830 Seshagiri Rao 1830–1834 Edamana Sankara Menon 1834–1840 Venkitasubbaraya 1840–1856 T. Sankara Warrier 1856–1860 Venkata Rayar 1860–1879 T. Sankunni Menon 1879–1890 T. Govindan Menon 1890–1893 - C. Thiruvenkatacharya. 1893–1896 V.S Pillai 1899–1901 P. Rajagopalachari 1902–1907 N. Pattabhirama Rao 1907–1914 A. R. Banerjee 1914–1919 J. W. Bhore 1919–1922 T. Vijayaraghavacharya 1922–1925 P. Narayana Menon 1925–1930 P. S. Narayana Iyer 1930–1935 C. G. Herbert 1935–1941 R. K. Shanmukham Chetty 1941–1943 A. F. W. Dixon C.I.E., I.C.S. 1943–1944 G. T. Boag 1944–1947 C. P. Karunakara Menon