ALAPPUZHA: Veteran communist leader and the minister in the first state cabinet K R Gouri Amma celebrated her 99th birthday at Alappuzha on Sunday. Her party workers and well wishers arranged the birthday feast at Raiban auditorium. She cut a birthday cake and distributed it to the people who gathered at the venue. Hundreds of people from all walks of life gathered to wish her.
Many leaders irrespective of political parties reached her home at Chathanattu to wish her. Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac, PWD Minister G Sudhakaran, former KPCC president V M Sudheeran, CPM politburo member M A Baby, his wife Betty Baby and many prominent leaders wished her at home and at the venue of the celebration.
She was born on July 14, 1919, however, the birthday is celebrated based on the Malayalam horoscope and star ‘Thiruvonam’ of the month of ‘Midhunam’, which falls on Sunday.
The veteran leader was born at Pattanakad village in Alappuzha district as the seventh daughter of K A Raman and Parvathi Amma. Her schooling was at Thuravoor and Cherthala and she did her graduation at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. She also received a law degree from Government Law College, Ernakulam.
Prior to the formation of the JSS she was a prominent figure in the communist movement in the state. She was a minister in the communist-led ministries in Kerala in 1957, 1967, 1980, and 1987 and also became a Minister in the Congress-led Cabinet from 2001 to 2006.
After the split of the Communist Party in 1964, she joined the newly-formed CPM while her husband stood with the CPI. This created fissures in their relationship and soon they parted owing to the differences in their political views. In 1994, she was expelled from the CPM on charges of anti-party activities. Following this, she established a new political party, the JSS. It went on to join the UDF and she served as the Minister of Agriculture in the A K Antony and Oommen Chandy ministries.
CM: Always had great respect for K R Gouri
T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday greeted veteran revolutionary leader K R Gouri on her 99th birthday. “She is one of the rare talents in politics who has made enormous contributions to history and mankind which will stand the test of time,” Pinarayi said in a Facebook post. “K R Gouri’s life is part of Kerala’s history, Pinarayi said. The Chief Minister said he always had great love and respect for K R Gouri even when she was in the rival political front. He expressed the hope K R Gouri will remain in the pink of her health for many more years.