Varkala Radhakrishnan
Encyclopedia
Varkala V. Radhakrishnan (21 August 1927 – 26 April 2010) was an India
n politician and member of the 14th Lok Sabha
. He also has served as the speaker
of Kerala Legislative Assembly
. He represented the Chirayinkil
constituency of Kerala
and was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
(CPI(M)) political party. Radhakrishnan held the Chirayinkil seat from 1997 to 2009.
An accomplished lawyer-turned-politician, Radhakrishnan hailed from Varkala, and represented the Varkala
legislative constituency for several years. Radhakrishnan was an alumnus of Government Law College, Ernakulam
.
Radhakrishnan was born in Varkala, a place around 50 km from Trivandum, the capital of Kerala State in India, as the eldest of four sons of Vasudevan and Dakshayani. His maternal grandfather, Manampur Govindan Asan, was a well known Sanskrit Scholar and contemporary of Sri Narayana Guru, the great social reformer who lived in Kerala during the 19th Century. The great Malayalam poet, Kumaran Asan was a student of Govindan Asan.
Radhakrishnan did his schooling at Varkala. After finishing matriculation, he had to discontinue further studies due to some financial difficulties in his family. He took up teaching to support his family. Afterwards, he completed his under graduate course at Union Christian Colleague, Alwaye. Subsequently he did his graduation in Economics from University College, Trivandrum and majored in Law later on.
He joined the Communist Movement by becoming a member of the Communist Party of India during the 1940s. He became the president of the Varkala Panchayat in 1957, when the first democratically elected Communist Government took office in Kerala State.
He was married to Saudamini in 1957, a college lecturer in History at the time who later on became the Professor and Head of the Department of History at the Maharaja's College for Women in Trivandrum. Radhakrishnan and Saudamini had two daughters and one son. Prof. Saudamini died in 1994 from complications arising out a cardiac surgery. She was a great source of support to Radhakrishnan, managed and held the family together, when he pursued his political career.
After marriage, Radhakrishnan shifted his political base to Trivandrum from Varkala. He set up a brilliant practice for himself at the Trivandrum Bar in Criminal Law and was one of most sought after lawyers of the time. He also continued his political activities along with his legal career and contested various elections as a candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with whom he was associated ever since the party was formed in 1964. He contested the State Assembly elections in 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1977 and lost. He also lost the Parliamentary Elections in 1971 from Chirayinkil Constituency in Kerala. During 1967-68, he served as Private Secretary to the then Chief Minister of Kerala, E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad.
Radhakrishnan tasted electoral success in 1980, when he was elected to Kerala State Assembly from Varkala Constituency. He was subsequently re-elected from the same constituency in 1982, 1987 and 1991. During 1987-91, he served as Speaker of the Kerala Assembly. He was known for his impartiality as a Speaker and had on several occasions chided the Government and its ministers in the Assembly during its sessions for their shortcomings in respect of legislative conduct in the Assembly. He was also an expert in constitutional matters and his comments were always sought by the media with regard to interpretation of provisions of Indian Constitution.
Radhakrishnan shifted his area of activity to the National Stage when he won the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) from Chirayinkil Constituency in 1998. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1998 and 2004 as well, serving as a MP for 12 years. During his time as an MP he was very active in parliamentary debates and was involved in various parliamentary standing committees such as Finance, Member's Privileges etc. He toured the country extensively in pursuance of his parliamentary committee work. He was also a member of Panel of Chairmen in the Lok Sabha (who are called upon to regulate the proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and Dy. Speaker).
Radhakrishnan did not contest the elections in 2009 to the Lok Sabha, but continued to be actively involved in politics till his death. He was a District Committee Member of the CPI (M)and was also President of All India Lawyer's Union (AILU) and a farmer's organisation affiliated to the party.
Radhakrishnan died battling injuries he suffered in a road accident when he was on his regular morning walk on 22 April 2010. As it appears, he was knocked down by a truck from behind. He was rushed to the Trivandrum Medical College Hospital with rib fracture and other grievous injuries. The rib fracture had punctured his left lung which affected the pulmonary functions. Due to his advanced age of 83 years, one complication after another developed and the doctors had to give up leading to Radhakrishnan breathing his last on the morning of 26 April 2010. He was accorded a State Funeral at his birth place Varkala, later in the evening. Thousands of people from all walks of life gathered to have a last glimpse during his final journey to Varkala that day.
Radhakrishnan was known for his extra ordinary simplicity. He had a clean image unlike many of his ilk, led a spartan life style with little regard for any luxury. He did not even have a cell phone to himself, which even his personal assistants had. He was an affable person, liked good food, the simple things in life and was quite popular among his fellow comrades, constituents and people at large in Kerala. He was fondly called as "Annan" (big brother in Malayalam) by everyone including his political adversaries.
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...
n politician and member of the 14th Lok Sabha
14th Lok Sabha
The 14th Lok Sabha was convened after the Indian general election, 2004 held in four phases during 20 April – 10 May 2004, which led to the formation of First Manmohan Singh Cabinet...
. He also has served as the speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of 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...
. He represented the Chirayinkil
Chirayinkil (Lok Sabha constituency)
Chirayinkil Lok Sabha constituency was a Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, dissolved in 2008.-Assembly segments:Chirayinkil Lok Sabha constituency was composed of the following assembly segments:#Varkala#Attingal#Kilimanoor Assembly Constituency...
constituency 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....
and was a member of the 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...
(CPI(M)) political party. Radhakrishnan held the Chirayinkil seat from 1997 to 2009.
An accomplished lawyer-turned-politician, Radhakrishnan hailed from Varkala, and represented the Varkala
Varkala
Varkala is a coastal town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located 50 kilometres north-west of Thiruvananthapuram and 37 km south-west of Kollam city.Varkala is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to...
legislative constituency for several years. Radhakrishnan was an alumnus of Government Law College, Ernakulam
Government Law College, Ernakulam
Government Law College, Ernakulam is a prominent institution for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate legal education in Kerala. It is situated in the heart of Kochi City...
.
Radhakrishnan was born in Varkala, a place around 50 km from Trivandum, the capital of Kerala State in India, as the eldest of four sons of Vasudevan and Dakshayani. His maternal grandfather, Manampur Govindan Asan, was a well known Sanskrit Scholar and contemporary of Sri Narayana Guru, the great social reformer who lived in Kerala during the 19th Century. The great Malayalam poet, Kumaran Asan was a student of Govindan Asan.
Radhakrishnan did his schooling at Varkala. After finishing matriculation, he had to discontinue further studies due to some financial difficulties in his family. He took up teaching to support his family. Afterwards, he completed his under graduate course at Union Christian Colleague, Alwaye. Subsequently he did his graduation in Economics from University College, Trivandrum and majored in Law later on.
He joined the Communist Movement by becoming a member of the Communist Party of India during the 1940s. He became the president of the Varkala Panchayat in 1957, when the first democratically elected Communist Government took office in Kerala State.
He was married to Saudamini in 1957, a college lecturer in History at the time who later on became the Professor and Head of the Department of History at the Maharaja's College for Women in Trivandrum. Radhakrishnan and Saudamini had two daughters and one son. Prof. Saudamini died in 1994 from complications arising out a cardiac surgery. She was a great source of support to Radhakrishnan, managed and held the family together, when he pursued his political career.
After marriage, Radhakrishnan shifted his political base to Trivandrum from Varkala. He set up a brilliant practice for himself at the Trivandrum Bar in Criminal Law and was one of most sought after lawyers of the time. He also continued his political activities along with his legal career and contested various elections as a candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with whom he was associated ever since the party was formed in 1964. He contested the State Assembly elections in 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1977 and lost. He also lost the Parliamentary Elections in 1971 from Chirayinkil Constituency in Kerala. During 1967-68, he served as Private Secretary to the then Chief Minister of Kerala, E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad.
Radhakrishnan tasted electoral success in 1980, when he was elected to Kerala State Assembly from Varkala Constituency. He was subsequently re-elected from the same constituency in 1982, 1987 and 1991. During 1987-91, he served as Speaker of the Kerala Assembly. He was known for his impartiality as a Speaker and had on several occasions chided the Government and its ministers in the Assembly during its sessions for their shortcomings in respect of legislative conduct in the Assembly. He was also an expert in constitutional matters and his comments were always sought by the media with regard to interpretation of provisions of Indian Constitution.
Radhakrishnan shifted his area of activity to the National Stage when he won the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) from Chirayinkil Constituency in 1998. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1998 and 2004 as well, serving as a MP for 12 years. During his time as an MP he was very active in parliamentary debates and was involved in various parliamentary standing committees such as Finance, Member's Privileges etc. He toured the country extensively in pursuance of his parliamentary committee work. He was also a member of Panel of Chairmen in the Lok Sabha (who are called upon to regulate the proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and Dy. Speaker).
Radhakrishnan did not contest the elections in 2009 to the Lok Sabha, but continued to be actively involved in politics till his death. He was a District Committee Member of the CPI (M)and was also President of All India Lawyer's Union (AILU) and a farmer's organisation affiliated to the party.
Radhakrishnan died battling injuries he suffered in a road accident when he was on his regular morning walk on 22 April 2010. As it appears, he was knocked down by a truck from behind. He was rushed to the Trivandrum Medical College Hospital with rib fracture and other grievous injuries. The rib fracture had punctured his left lung which affected the pulmonary functions. Due to his advanced age of 83 years, one complication after another developed and the doctors had to give up leading to Radhakrishnan breathing his last on the morning of 26 April 2010. He was accorded a State Funeral at his birth place Varkala, later in the evening. Thousands of people from all walks of life gathered to have a last glimpse during his final journey to Varkala that day.
Radhakrishnan was known for his extra ordinary simplicity. He had a clean image unlike many of his ilk, led a spartan life style with little regard for any luxury. He did not even have a cell phone to himself, which even his personal assistants had. He was an affable person, liked good food, the simple things in life and was quite popular among his fellow comrades, constituents and people at large in Kerala. He was fondly called as "Annan" (big brother in Malayalam) by everyone including his political adversaries.