TRIBUTE PAID TO LONAPPAN NAMBADAN, FORMER KERALA MINISTER

TRIBUTE PAID TO LONAPPAN NAMBADAN, FORMER KERALA MINISTER

Former Kerala minister Lonappan Nambadan breathed his last at a private hospital Wednesday ,5^th June,2013,afternoon, family sources said. He was 77.Nambadan was ailing for a while. He is survived by his wife and three children.Popularly known as Nambadan Mash (short for master), Nambadan had served as a schoolteacher. He was renowned for his wit. Each time he stood up to speak in the Kerala assembly, his audience listened with rapt attention, waiting for the next joke. Nambadan began his political career in the Congress party, and later became a founder-member of the Kerala Congress. In the mid-1980s, he contested as a Left-supported independent candidate.

Nambadan was a minister in the K. Karunakaran government of 1980. When he switched his loyalties in 1982 to the Left Front, the state government fell.After shifting his allegiance, Nambadan became a minister in the Left Front government led by E.K. Nayanar (1987 to 1991).He was six-time legislator, between 1977 and 2001. He contested, but lost the 2001 assembly polls.In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, he tasted political victory again, trouncing K. Karunakaran's daughter Padmaja Venugopal by a margin of more than a lakh votes in the Mukundapuram constituency of Thrissur district.Nambadan had also long fought for the declaration of Malayalam as Kerala's official language of communication in all departments of the state. A formal declaration to this effect was made by the state government in 2012.

Political leaders paid glowing tributes to Lonappan Nambadan, recalling how, with his sharp sense of humour, he could floor his adversaries in any debate, be it in the Assembly or outside.In his condolence message, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Mr.  was a person loved by all, a leader who was sincere and committed to the people. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan recalled his flair for giving many meanings to the words he used, making people laugh and at the same time driving home his point. Finance Minister K.M. Mani described him as a politician who endeared himself to everyone with his simplicity and sense of humour.CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said Mr. Nambadan was not only a good parliamentarian, but also a clean administrator who had displayed his deep commitment to working class politics. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said Mr. Nambadan’s style of presenting even very serious topics in a humorous way had brought him a special fan following. Convener of the United Democratic Front P.P. Thankachan, Union Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution K.V. Thomas, Janata Dal (Secular) general secretary A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar, Nationalist Congress Party State president T.P. Peethambaran, S. Sarma, MLA, issued condolence messages. They all said Mr. Nambadan’ demise was an irreparable loss to Kerala politics.

Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithy and Kottarakara based Cultural Forum paid tributes to Lonappan Nambadan. A Condolence meeting was arranged on 8^th June,2013 at Kottarakara Kurakar Town Centre at 3 pm. Prof. John Kurakar, President, Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithy presided. Mr. Sam Kurakar, Prof. Varghese John ,Prof P.K Varghese, Prof.Molly Kurakar, Mr. Simson John ,Mr. Santhosh Jacob, Mr. Sabu Daniel, Rev. Fr. O.Thomas, Fr. Alex Zakharia, Mr. Manu Kurakar also spoke on the occasion.

Prof. John Kurakar