EK NAYANAR:

EK NAYANAR:

Com.E K Nayanar was born on 9 December 1919 in Kalliasseri. Despite his father, Govindan Nambiar, being a believer in the feudalism, Nayanar took to the national movement of the time at a very young age under the influence of his cousin, K.P.R. Gopalan. Nayanar was influenced by the events following the admission of a Dalit girl to local school under the leadership of K.P.R. Gopalan.

Nayanar was a participant in student movements in the Malabar region as a part of Bala sangham and consequently dropped out of school. He was drawn towards the socialist ideology guided by leaders like P. Krishna Pillai. Nayanar famously helped in the establishment of a library and named it Shri Harshan Library, after Harshan, a member of the oppressed caste who was tortured to death at the Kannur Central Jail for his participation in the national movement. 

Com. E. K Nayanar started his public life by taking part in the freedom movement at a very young age. He participated in the anti – imperialist struggles and the agitations of peasants and workers in the Malabar region .He joined Communist Party of India in 1939. As a youth leader, Nayanar organized several movements. He led the forty six day long Aaron Mill workers' protest against dismissal of thirty workers by the mill management in 1940. He was jailed for six months as a consequence. Nayanar was one of the organizers of Morazha rally on September 15, 1940 in protest of rising prices. Two policemen were killed in the rally and Nayanar went into hiding for six years without knowing that he was not one of the accused. He also organized peasant uprisings in Kayyur. A policeman was stoned by protesters and subsequently died in Kayyur. Communist leaders were actively pursued by police following the incident, forcing Nayanar to go into hiding in forest areas in Eleri. Later on, as Chief Minister, he set up a Government College in this area in 1981. The college was renamed to E.K.Nayanar Memorial Government College. While in hiding in Travancore, he worked as a journalist for Kerala Kaumudi. Nayanar spent 11 years in the underground and 4 years in jails during his glorious life as a People’s leader.

In 1967, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Palakkad. He became an MLA for the first time from Irikkur legislative assembley in 1974. Since he has been elected as an MLA five more times (twice each from Malampuzha (1980 and 1982) and Thrikkarippur (1987 and 1991) and once from Thalasseri (1996), losing only once.

Com. Nayanar served as the Chief Minister of Kerala during 1980 – 82, 1987 – 91 and 1996 – 2001, for a period of 11 years, the longest among the Chief Ministers of Kerala. His tenures as Chief Minister saw major gains for the people of Kerala and concerted efforts for the development of the state. Some of the notable  achievements include introduction of old age pension for agricultural workers, starting of ‘Maveli’ fair price shops to provide essential commodities to people, total literacy campaign, decentralization of powers including People’s Planning etc

Com.Nayanar introduced several reforms during his tenures as Chief Minister like The Kerala Coir workers Welfare Fund Act, 1987, The Kerala Khadi Workers’ Welfare Fund Act, 1989, The Kerala Abkari Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1989, The Kerala Construction workers’ Welfare Fund Act, 1989 and the Kerala Ration Dealer’s Welfare Fund Act, 1998. The Kannur University was also established during his tenure. It was during his last stint as Chief Minister that the LDF launched the People's Planning Campaign in 1996

Com. E. K. Nayanar was the Kozhikode District Secretary of Communist Party for 1956 to 1964 and later as CPI (M) district Secretary from 1964 to 1967. Com. Nayanar was one among the 32 comrades who came out of the national council of CPI to form the CPI (M) in 1964. He became CPI (M) Central Committee member in the 7th Party Congress and a member of the Party Polit Bureau in 14th Party Congress in 1992. He was CPI (M) State Secretary from 1972 to 1980 and from 1992 to 1996.

Com. Nayanar has worked as the editor of the party daily Deshabhimani. He has written many books and articles as part of the ideological and political propaganda of the Party

Nayanar has authored several works in both English and Malayalam. He was also an occasional poet. A few notable works are:

1.   My Struggle (Autobiography, translated to Malayalam by himself as Samaratheechoolayil)

2.   Doha Diary

3.   Marxism-Oru Mukhavara (Marxism-An introduction)

4.   Nehru-Gandhi Oru Padanam (Nehru-Gandhi A Study)

5.   Karl Marx

6.   American Diary

7.   Ente China Diary (My China Diary)

8.   Parliamentum Chila Vasthuthakalum (Parliament and Some Facts)

Nayanar married Sarada Teacher, niece of K.P.R. Gopalan in 1958. They have two sons and two daughters.

Death

Nayanar was admitted to the AIIMS on April 26 for advanced treatment of diabetes, after a brief stay at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram earlier. His condition became worse following kidney and heart failure on May 6 when he was put on the life support system. He died on May 19, 2004.

Com. Nayanar’s ability to see humour in the most despairing of situations was, perhaps, the factor which proved instrumental in grooming him into an orator of the highest calibre and crowd puller, when it came to standing before the mike.

RED SALUTE.

C. Sunish.