KOTTAYAM: Senior Congress leader M M Jacob died of age-related illness on Sunday. He was 90.
Jacob breathed his last at a private hospital in Pala at 8 am.His funeral will be held at St Augustine’s Church, Ramapuram, at 2 pm on Monday. The late Achamma of the Kunnuthara family in Thiruvalla is his wife while Jaya, Jessy, Elizabeth and Rachel are his daughters.
During his six-decade-long public service, Jacob held various positions in national and state level politics. Jacob, who became a Central Minister thrice, held the position of the Meghalaya Governor for 12 straight years, from 1995.
Bhoodan movement made him join Congress
M M JACOB was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1982 and 1988 and became the first Malayali to hold the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman in 1986.Born to Ulahannan Mathew and Rosamma, hailing from Mundakkal house, Ramapuram, on August 9, 1928, Jacob completed his schooling at Ramapuram and joined the University College, Thiruvananthapuram for higher studies.
However, he had to take a break in his college life following his participation in the freedom struggle. He resumed his higher studies at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Loyola College, Chennai, and the Lucknow and Chicago universities.
He entered public service through Vinoba Bhave’s ‘Bhoodan’ movement and later joined the Congress. He became a member of the Bharath Sevak Samaj (BSS) founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1954, which was a turning point of his life.
Jacob became the national vice-president of BSS, which helped him make a good rapport with Jawaharlal and family. He became Union Minister of State in the ministries of Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao between 1986 and 1993.
Though, he contested in the Assembly elections in 1970 and 1980 in Pala, he was defeated by K M Mani. He also held organisational positions like KPCC general secretary, treasurer, AICC member and AICC general secretary. He had the opportunity to address the United Nations General Assembly representing India in 1985 and 1993.