 In 1977, Devan was selected as the chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, a post he held till 1977.Simultaneously, he ran an architectural design firm, "Perunthachan", where he practised environment-friendly cost-effective construction techniques, a pioneering effort much before Laurie Baker popularised the concept in the state; he designed around 450 constructions, which include auditoria, hotels and church.After his tenure with Kerala Lalithakala Akademi ended in 1977, he continued his involvement with the fine arts, literature and cultural activities; the founding of "Nadaka Kalari", a theatre group based in Vaikom, in 1967, along with M. Govindan, C. N. Sreekantan Nair, K. S. Narayana Pillai, K. Ayyappa Paniker and G. Sankara Pillai, was one among them.