E. K. Nayanar

E. K. Nayanar Biography

E. K. Nayanar was an Indian politician and the leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist). He served as the Chief Minister of Kerala three times, from 1980 to 1981, from 1987 to 1991 and from 1996 to 2001. He was the longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala and the member of the Politburo of CPI (M).

He was born on 9^th December 1919 in Kalliasseri, Madras Presidency of British India. He belonged to a wealthy family. His father was Govindan Nambiar and he was a feudalist and opposed his son’s ideals. E. K. Nayanar was inspired by his cousin and communist leader, K. P. R. Gopalan. He married S. P. Sarada and had two sons and two daughters. He was an atheist.

When a Dalit girl was admitted into the local school at the behest of K. P. R. Gopalan, he was greatly impressed. He helped in the establishment of local library called Shri Harshan Library. This was named after Harshan who belonged to oppressed caste and was tortured to death at the Kannu Central Jail. Nayanar dropped out of school in his final years to take part in political activities and took part in anti-liquor agitation. He was led by the P. Krishna Pillai into the socialist path.

He organized a protest rally at Morazha in Kannur district on 15^th September 1940 and in this a sup-inspector and a head constable were killed. He had to spend six years of his life in hiding for this incident. He also had to spend many days of his life in prison. He took part in students’ movement and worked in the Kayyur Cheemeni areas. He then switched his activities to Travancore and became a proof reader of the Malayalam newspaper, Kerala Kaumudi. After the independence of India he became Kannur taluk secretary in 1948 and Kozhikode district secretary in 1955.

He was elected to Lok Sabha from Palghat in 1967 and was elected to Kerala Assembly six times. He became the Chief Minister of Kerala for the first time on 25^th January 1980. He established Government College Elerithattu in 1981. He was suffering from pneumonia and died on 19^th May 2004.

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Updated: June 13, 2018