K. P. Viswanathan (22 April 1940 – 15 December 2023) was an Indian politician.

Life and career

K. P. Viswanathan was born to parents Kallayil Pangan and Parukutty in

Kunnamkulam Kunnamkulam is a municipal town located in the Thrissur District of Kerala, India, with historical origins tracing back to the Paleolithic age. Renowned for its deep-rooted cultural heritage, vibrant printing industry, and religious diversity, ...

on 22 April 1940, and graduated from Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, and the

Government Law College, Ernakulam The Government Law College, Ernakulam, also known as His Highness the Maharajas Government Law College, Ernakulam is a prestigious institution for undergraduate and post-graduate legal education in Kochi, Kerala, India. Founded in 1875, it is ...

, then worked as a lawyer. Viswanathan was affiliated with the Indian Youth Congress, serving as Thrissur District President of the Youth Congress from 1967 to 1970. He won the

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

, and

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

, and

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

Kerala Legislative Assembly elections to represent Kunnamkulam on behalf of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

. He returned to the

Kerala Legislative Assembly The Kerala Legislative Assembly, popularly known as the Kerala Niyamasabha, is the State Assembly of Kerala, one of the 30 states in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives. Each elected member represents one of the 140 ...

in 1987,

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, and

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

, as a representative of

Kodakara Kodakara is a town in the Thrissur district of Kerala state in South India. It is located next to the national highway ( NH 544), south of Thrissur town, 3 km to the south of Puthukkad town and about north of Chalakudy. Administratively, Koda ...

. He also sought the Kodakara seat in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

and

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

, losing to

C. Raveendranath Prof. Cheranalloor Raveendranath is an Indian politician and is the formeMinister for Educationof the Government of Kerala in the First Vijayan ministry, first Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry. He is a Communist Party of India (Marxist) politician fro ...

. Viswanathan served twice as minister of forests and wildlife within the government of Kerala, in the fourth Karunakaran ministry in office between 1991 and 1994, as well as the

first Oommen Chandy ministry The Eleventh Kerala Legislative Assembly Council of Ministers in Oommen Chandy's first ministry, was a Kerala Council of Ministers (Kerala Cabinet), the executive wing of Kerala state government, led by Indian National Congress leader Oommen Chand ...

from 2004 to 2005. Following his 2011 electoral loss, Viswanathan retired from politics. Viswanathan died in Thrissur on 15 December 2023, at the age of 83. He was married to Lalitha until his death. The couple raised two sons, Sanjith and Ranjith.

References

1940 births 2023 deaths Kerala MLAs 1977–1979 Kerala MLAs 1980–1982 Kerala MLAs 1987–1991 Kerala MLAs 1991–1996 Kerala MLAs 1996–2001 Kerala MLAs 2001–2006 State cabinet ministers of Kerala Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala Politicians from Thrissur Sree Kerala Varma College alumni Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala alumni {{Kerala-INC-politician-stub