Kannankkot Kottarathil Ramachandran Master, better known as K. K. Ramachandran Master (11 December 1936 – 7 January 2021), was an Indian politician. He served as general secretary
K.P.C.C, Member of
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 ...
, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, and Minister for Health. He was a member of the 6th, 7th, and 8th
Niyamasabha
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 ...
representing
Sulthan Bathery
Sulthan Bathery is a major municipal town in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Sultan Bathery taluk and is the most populous and commercially active urban center in the district. Strategic ...
and the 9th, 10th, and 11th
Niyamasabha
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 ...
representing
Kalpetta.
He played a crucial role in nurturing and strengthening 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 ...
among plantation labourers in
Malabar.
Early life
Ramachandran Master was born on 11 December 1936, in Nidumbram Village near
Chokli
Panoor is a municipality in the district of Kannur in the state of Kerala, India. The town is the main marketplace for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Panoor is one of the main suburbs of the city of Thalassery. Panoor was gra ...
, in
Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
District. His parents were Shri. Pukkottuparambil Narayanan Nambiar and Smt. Kannankkott Kottarathil Rugmini Amma. He had two younger brothers and five younger sisters. His mother died when he was fourteen.
Ramachandran attended Kuttipuram ALP School. Later, he studied in the Ramakrishna L P School, M M High School in
New Mahe
New Mahe is a census town and suburb of Thalassery City in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. It is part of the Greater Mahé Region.
Demographics
India census, New Mahe had a population of 11,230. Males constitute 46% of the population ...
, and
Thalassery Brennan College. In 1958, he completed his teacher's training course in Kannur Secondary Training School.
Career
He started working as a teacher in V P Oriental High School in 1954 and then moved to
Wayanad
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of the Indian state of Kerala, with its administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, ...
in 1962 to continue teaching at Arimula AUP School.
While working as a teacher in V P Oriental High School, he was an active member of the
Indian Youth Congress
The Indian Youth Congress is the youth wing of the Indian National Congress party. The Indian Youth Congress was a department of the Indian National Congress from the period just after the Partition of India in 1947 until the late 1960s. Whil ...
and was elected secretary of Youth Congress Committee in Nidumbram in 1954. After shifting to
Wayanad
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of the Indian state of Kerala, with its administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, ...
, Ramachandran continued to be active in the Indian Youth Congress. Ramachandran resigned from his job as a teacher in 1976 and entered into full-time politics.
Politics
Ramachandran started his political career through the
Indian Youth Congress
The Indian Youth Congress is the youth wing of the Indian National Congress party. The Indian Youth Congress was a department of the Indian National Congress from the period just after the Partition of India in 1947 until the late 1960s. Whil ...
(IYC). He organised many movements against Estate owners for the rights of plantation labourers in Malabar. He later created a party among plantation labourers known as the Plantation Labour Congress (PLC). While fighting for their rights in Elimbileri Estate in 1977, he was shot at by the estate owner, Marapandiyan. He missed and a labourer Manikyam was killed. This incident drew lot of attention in the media. Ramachandran later said it was a planned attack by the estate owners in Wayanad.
He was elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1980 from
Sulthan Bathery
Sulthan Bathery is a major municipal town in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Sultan Bathery taluk and is the most populous and commercially active urban center in the district. Strategic ...
Constituency. He won again in 1980, 1982, 1987 in Sulthan Bathery and in 1991, 1996, 2001 from
Kalpetta
Kalpetta is a city and town and Grade 2 municipality in the Wayanad district of the Indian state of Kerala. Kalpetta is the headquarters of the Wayanad district, as well as the headquarters of Vythiri taluk. It is surrounded by dense coffee ...
Constituency.
He also served as the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies in second
A K Antony
Arackaparambil Kurien Antony (born 28 December 1940) is an Indian lawyer, attorney and statesman who served as the Minister of Defence of India from 2006 to 2014, making him the longest serving Defence Minister in India. He previously served as ...
Ministry and Minister for Health in first
Oomen Chandy Ministry.
Highlights
* Member, Indian Coffee Board;
* President, Water Authority Employees Association
* President, CWDRM Employees Association
* President, Kerala State Retail Ration Dealers Association
* Secretary, Youth Congress Committee, Nidumbram
* 1982–1987 Secretary, Congress Legislature Party
* 1969–1974 Secretary, DCC Kozhikode
* 1978 Vice President, State
INTUC
The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) is a National trade union center, national trade union centre in India. Founded on 3 May 1947, it is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation. The INTUC claims a membership of ...
* 1984 General Secretary,
K.P.C.C.
* 1980 President, Kozhikode DCC
* 1980–1982 Member of 6th
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 ...
(1st Term)
* 1982–1987 Member of 7th Kerala Legislative Assembly (2nd Term)
* 1987–1991 Member of 7th Kerala Legislative Assembly (3rd Term)
* 1991–1996 Member of 8th Kerala Legislative Assembly (3rd Term)
* 1995–1996 Minister for Food and Civil Supplies
* 1996–2001 Member of 9th Kerala Legislative Assembly (4th Term)
* 2001–2006 Member of 10th Kerala Legislative Assembly (5th Term)
* 2004–2006 Minister for Health
Legacy
Ramachandran died on 7 January 2021, due to cardiac arrest. He was cremated with full state honours at his son's residence in
Kakkodi,
Kozhikode.
Ramachandran Master wrote an autobiography titled ''Ningal Enne Communist Aaki Ningal Enne BJP Aaki'' published by Poorna Publication in 2017.
He married Smt. Padmini Amma in 1961 and had three sons.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramachandran Master, K. K.
1936 births
2021 deaths
Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala
Politicians from Kannur district