K. P. Prabhakaran
Encyclopedia
K. P. Prabhakaran was a communist politician and trade union
ist from Kerala
, India
. He was a senior leader of the Communist Party of India
, served as Health Minister of Kerala for one period. At the time of his death, he was the chairman of the State Control Commission of CPI.
of the Communist Party in Kerala, in the early 1940s. He went on to become an active cadre of the CPI. He suffered police violence when engaging in trade union struggles amongst toddy
workers in Enamavu. He participated, as a delegate from Kochi, at the first state conference of CPI, which was held in Calicut. When the party was banned in 1948, he was jailed for a year.
In his later years, he served as vice-president of the Kerala State Committee of the All India Trade Union Congress
.
of Travancore-Cochin
in 1951, representing the Manalur constituency. In 1954 he lost the seat to Congress
leader K. Karunakaran.
In 1977, he was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
, representing the Cherpu seat. After the election, he became Health Minister of the state. He retained the Cherpu assembly seat in the 1980 and 1982 elections.
on August 11, 2009. He was cremated with full state honours on August 12, 2009 at his residence premises. During the day, his body had been put on display. Thousands of people visited the house to pay their respect. Prominent participants at the funeral included Mullappally Ramachandran
(Union Minister of State for Home Affairs), Mullakkara Ratnakaran
(Kerala Minister of Agriculture), Benoy Viswam
(Kerala Forest Minister), Elamaram Kareem
(Kerala Minister of Industries), P. R. Rajan
(Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Rajya Sabha
member), P. C. Chacko
(Thrissur Lok Sabha
member) and Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhi (ex-Archbishop, Thrissur).
is, as of 2009, the Revenue Minister of Kerala.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was a senior leader of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
, served as Health Minister of Kerala for one period. At the time of his death, he was the chairman of the State Control Commission of CPI.
Early activism
Prabhakaran became an activist of Balasangham, the pioneer movementPioneer movement
A pioneer movement is an organization for children operated by a communist party. Typically children enter into the organization in elementary school and continue until adolescence. The adolescents then typically joined the Young Communist League...
of the Communist Party in Kerala, in the early 1940s. He went on to become an active cadre of the CPI. He suffered police violence when engaging in trade union struggles amongst toddy
Toddy
Toddy may be:* Hot toddy, a mixed drink served hot* Palm wine, also known as palm toddy, an alcoholic beverage.* The toddy palm...
workers in Enamavu. He participated, as a delegate from Kochi, at the first state conference of CPI, which was held in Calicut. When the party was banned in 1948, he was jailed for a year.
Trade unionism
Prabhakaran was president of the Enamavu Peringottukara Toddy Workers' Union for 55 years. He was also one of the founders of the District Kole Farmers' Sanghom.In his later years, he served as vice-president of the Kerala State Committee of the All India Trade Union Congress
All India Trade Union Congress
-External links:**...
.
Electoral politics
He was elected to the legislative assemblyVidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
of Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin or Thiru-Kochi is a former state of India . It was created on 1 July 1949 by the merger of two former princely states, the kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin....
in 1951, representing the Manalur constituency. In 1954 he lost the seat to Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
leader K. Karunakaran.
In 1977, he was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Kerala Legislative Assembly
The Kerala Legislative Assembly more popularly known as Niyamasabha , is the law making body of Kerala, one of the 28 States in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives and one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community...
, representing the Cherpu seat. After the election, he became Health Minister of the state. He retained the Cherpu assembly seat in the 1980 and 1982 elections.
Death
Prabhakaran died at his home in AnthicadAnthicad
Anthikad is a village in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India.It is in Thrissur Thaluk,Nattika constituency and Anthikad Block.Manalur and Thanyam are the nearest panjayaths...
on August 11, 2009. He was cremated with full state honours on August 12, 2009 at his residence premises. During the day, his body had been put on display. Thousands of people visited the house to pay their respect. Prominent participants at the funeral included Mullappally Ramachandran
Mullappally Ramachandran
Mullappally Ramachandran The union Minister of State for Home Affairs is the a member of the Parliament of India from the Vadakara constituency. He is one of the present Vice Presidents of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. He was a member of the Parliament of India from Cannanore during 1984 to...
(Union Minister of State for Home Affairs), Mullakkara Ratnakaran
Mullakkara Ratnakaran
Mullakkara Ratnakaran is an Indian politician and a State Secretariat Member of Communist Party of India . He was the Minister for Minister for Agriculture in the Government of Kerala...
(Kerala Minister of Agriculture), Benoy Viswam
Benoy Viswam
Benoy Viswam was the Forest Minister in the Government of Kerala. He is a senior Communist Party of India leader and the president of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Employees' Federation....
(Kerala Forest Minister), Elamaram Kareem
Elamaram Kareem
Elamaram Kareem is an Indian politician, trade unionist, and a member of Communist Party of India . He was the Minister for Industries & Commerce in the Left Democratic Front government under V. S. Achuthanandan from 2006-2011...
(Kerala Minister of Industries), P. R. Rajan
P. R. Rajan
P. R. Rajan, a politician from the Communist Party of India , is a Member of the Parliament of India, representing Kerala in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament....
(Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
member), P. C. Chacko
P. C. Chacko
P. C. Chacko is the Member of Parliament from Thrissur Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. He belongs to Indian National Congress. He was a minister in Kerala.- Biography :...
(Thrissur Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
member) and Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhi (ex-Archbishop, Thrissur).
Family
Prabhakaran was the son of Paran and Lakshmikutty. He was survived by five children. His son K. P. RajendranK. P. Rajendran
K. P. Rajendran is an Indian politician, State Executive Member of Communist Party of India, and National Working Committee Member of All India Trade Union Congress . He was the Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms in the Left Democratic Front government under V. S. Achuthanandan from 2001-2006...
is, as of 2009, the Revenue Minister of Kerala.