THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Ninan Koshy, 81, Left fellow traveller, theologian and expert in international affairs, died here on Wednesday.
The end came at a private hospital around 8 am where he was admitted following a massive cardiac arrest. The funeral will be held after two days. He is survived by wife Susan and children Shiny, Niny and Elizabeth.
Ninan Koshy had served as faculty member of SB College, Changanassery; CMS College, Kottayam; Marthoma College, Tiruvalla and as vice-principal of Bishop Moore College, Mavelikkara. He had also been the chairman, Kerala Education Council and a member of Kerala University Senate. He was born in Tiruvalla on February 1, 1934. He had contested unsuccessfully to the Lok Sabha from Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituency as LDF-backed Independent in 1999. An author of several books, his observations on international affairs and his stance against imperialism had made him the darling of the Left parties, especially the CPM.
Ninan Koshy was also noted for his contributions as theologian. Koshy, who had been elected as general secretary of the Students Christian Movement of India, also served as Director In-charge, Ecumenical Christian Centre (Bangalore), Director, International Affairs Dept. of World Council of Churches (Geneva) and Visiting Faculty, National Law School of India University.
Condoling the death of Ninan Koshy, Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said Ninan Koshy’s death was a great loss to the Left-secular movement in the country.
“He had always been a strong spokesman and fellow traveller of the Left-secular ideologies. There were very few Leftist thinkers like Ninan Koshy who could explain the international politics and developments in such a very simple manner to the people,’’ VS said in his condolence message.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said in his condolence message that Ninan Koshy’s death was a great loss to the Left intelligentsia in the country. He recollected that Ninan Koshy was an active presence in the socio-political life of the state for several decades. CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan said in his condolence message that Ninan Koshy had always been firm in his stand against communalism and imperialism. His association with the World Council of Churches had given him the opportunity to work in tandem with the United Nations, he recollected.
LDF convener Vaikom Viswan also condoled Ninan Koshy’s death.
CPI national secretariat member Pannian Raveendran, DYFI state president T V Rajesh MLA, and secretary M Swaraj, RSP state secretary A A Azeez, RYF state general secretary C P Sudheesh Kumar, Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham general secretary V N Murali, among others, condoled the death of Ninan Koshy.
a Strong Opponent of imperialism
KPCC president V M Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala have condoled the death of Ninan Koshy. In his condolence message, Sudheeran recollected that Ninan Koshy had always taken a firm stand against imperialism.