ALAPPUZHA: The first volume of the muchawaited autobiography of K R Gowri Amma titled Athmakatha was released by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Monday by handing over a copy to Congress leader V M Sudheeran at a function held at the T V Thomas Memorial Town Hall here.
Achuthanandan said that though Gowri Amma had joined the UDF, nobody could ignore her contributions to the development of the state and its people.
"The people will remember Gowri Amma as an excellent administrator who played a pivotal role in framing various laws, including the Land Reforms Act," the Chief Minister said. He added that the autobiography was not about the political life of Gowri Amma.
"It narrates how Gowri, the educated daughter of Kalathilparambil Raman, joined the Communist Party," Achuthanandan said.
Gowri Amma, while introducing the book, said she was not a good writer and it was the readers who had to judge her writing.
"Though I wanted to become a poet, I could not. I first narrated my memoirs through CPM's mouth organ Desabhimani. However, I could not continue it. But, after becoming the chairman of the Janathipathya Samrakshana Samithi I have got a chance to jot down my experiences," she said.
The first volume of the book, published by Mathrubhumi Books, tells about the childhood and family of Gowri Amma along with the history of Cherthala taluk and Pattanakad village where she was born. The book ends with her first experience in jail.
Mathrubhumi chairman and managing director M P Veerendrakumar presided over the function. Lyricist Vayalar Sharat Chandra Varma and Mathrubhumi Alappuzha unit special correspondent Joy Varghese spoke on the occasion.