K. R. Gowri Amma
Encyclopedia
K. R. Gowri Amma heads the Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy
(JSS), a political party based in Kerala
, India
. Prior to the formation of JSS she was a prominent figure in the communist movement in Kerala. 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.
district of Kerala
as the seventh daughter of K. A. Raman and Parvathi Amma. She attended schools at Thuravoor
and Cherthala
and completed her graduation from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam
. She also received a Law degree from Government Law College, Ernakulam.
(EMS). In the very same year she married T V Thomas, a prominent politician and also a minister in EMS ministry.
After the split of Communist party in 1964, K. R. Gauri joined the newly formed Communist Party of India (Marxist)
. But her husband, T. V. Thomas, stood with the Communist Party of India
. This created fissures in their relationship and soon they parted owing to the differences in their political views.
In 1994 she was expelled from CPI (M) on charges of anti-party activities. Following this she established a new political outfit named Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy
(JSS). JSS went on to join the United Democratic Front
, the arch-rivals of the Left Democratic Front to which CPI (M) belongs. She served as the Minister of Agriculture in the A. K. Antony
and Oommen Chandy
ministries. She was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
in all elections except in 1977, 2006 and 2011.
Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy
Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy is a political party in the Indian state of Kerala. The party was formed in 1994 when the CPI leader K.R. Gowri Amma was expelled from Communist Party of India . She is the widow of the Communist Party of India leader T.V...
(JSS), a political party based in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Prior to the formation of JSS she was a prominent figure in the communist movement in Kerala. 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.
Early life
Gowri was born at Pattanakad village in AlappuzhaAlappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
district of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
as the seventh daughter of K. A. Raman and Parvathi Amma. She attended schools at Thuravoor
Thuravoor
Thuravoor is a gram panchayat in the Pattanakkadu Block of Cherthala Taluk of Alappuzha District in the South Indian State of Kerala. Thuravoor lies exactly between Kochi and Alappuzha. A four lane National Highway 47 passes through the village, which along with a railway station gives it...
and Cherthala
Cherthala
Cherthala is a town located in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km south of the city of Kochi and 22 km north of Alappuzha town, on the Kochi-Alappuzha streatch of both the National Highway 47 as well as the costal Rail-route.lt is 85 km from the...
and completed her graduation from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
. She also received a Law degree from Government Law College, Ernakulam.
Political life
She is one of the oldest serving politicians in Kerala politics. Under the influence of elder brother and trade union leader Sukumaran, she entered the vibrant world of politics at a time when women hardly found themselves in politics. Starting her public life through trade union and peasant movements, Gauri was jailed on a number of occasions for participating in political activities. She was elected to the Travancore Council of Legislative Assembly in the year 1952 and 1954 with an overwhelming majority. She became Revenue Minister in the first communist ministry in 1957, headed by E. M. S. NamboodiripadE. M. S. Namboodiripad
Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad, , popularly known as EMS, was an Indian Communist leader and the first Chief Minister of Kerala. As the first non-Congress chief minister in independent India, he became the leader of the first democratically elected communist government in the world...
(EMS). In the very same year she married T V Thomas, a prominent politician and also a minister in EMS ministry.
After the split of Communist party in 1964, K. R. Gauri joined the newly formed Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
. But her husband, T. V. Thomas, stood with the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
. This created fissures in their relationship and soon they parted owing to the differences in their political views.
In 1994 she was expelled from CPI (M) on charges of anti-party activities. Following this she established a new political outfit named Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy
Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy
Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy is a political party in the Indian state of Kerala. The party was formed in 1994 when the CPI leader K.R. Gowri Amma was expelled from Communist Party of India . She is the widow of the Communist Party of India leader T.V...
(JSS). JSS went on to join the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (India)
United Democratic Front is an alliance of political parties of Kerala state in India. This alliance is led by the Indian National Congress....
, the arch-rivals of the Left Democratic Front to which CPI (M) belongs. She served as the Minister of Agriculture in the A. K. Antony
A. K. Antony
Arackaparambil Kurien Antony is an Indian National Congress politician, a former Chief Minister of Kerala, and the current Defence Minister of India....
and Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Kerala. He has held the Chief Minister of Kerala position earlier from 2004 to 2006, and was the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011.-Early life:Oommen Chandy or 'Kunjoonju' was born...
ministries. She was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Kerala Legislative Assembly
The Kerala Legislative Assembly more popularly known as Niyamasabha , is the law making body of Kerala, one of the 28 States in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives and one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community...
in all elections except in 1977, 2006 and 2011.