KASARAGOD : C Kuppuchi of Vellikoth is all set to exercise her voting rights in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Aged 111, Kuppuchi — fondly called ‘Kuppachiamma — is Kasaragod’s oldest voter. She has participated in Kerala’s inaugural assembly election in 1957.
For numerous years, Kuppuchi diligently visited the polling booth early in the morning to cast her vote. However, in the last election, she opted to vote from her home due to age-related difficulties.
This time too, she will be casting her vote from home.
“I went to cast my vote for the first time with my father,” recalls Kuppuchi.
The centenarian holds great admiration for E M S Namboodiripad, Kerala’s first chief minister, and staunchly embraces communist ideology. She had gone as far as contributing to the fundraising efforts for the local CPI(M) branch office from her pension fund.
Kuppuchi hails from a family with a history of active involvement in the harvest satyagraha against landlords in the past. She firmly believes in the principles of democracy.
Kuppuchi’s neighbour Surendran Kollutuvalap said, “Kuppachiamma has never skipped any election, be it for the Lok Sabha, the assembly or LSG. Despite age-related issues, she manages her tasks independently and takes minimal assistance from others. She has consistently placed emphasis on exercising her right to vote.”
In 2022, the Election Commission of India honoured Kuppachiamma, he says.