Kannoth Karunakaran was an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress party. He served as the Chief Minister of Kerala four times: for a brief period from March 1977 to April 1977, another short term from December 1981 to March 1982, followed by a brief period of president's rule from March 1982 to May 1982, from May 1982 to May 1987, and from June 1991 to May 1995. He was admired by all political parties for his determination and political skills. He was instrumental in several massive infrastructure projects in Kerala which includes the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the Cochin International Airport. These were sanctioned during his last stint as Chief Minister of Kerala from 1991 to 1995. In his honour, a pavilion in the Cochin stadium is named after him. K. Karunakaran was close to former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Karunakaran is the founder of the United Democratic Front and coalition government system of Kerala.
Early life
Karunakaran was born on 5 July 1918 in Chirakkal near Kannur as the son of Thekkedathu Ravunni Marar and Kannoth Kalyani Marasyar. He had two elder brothers - Kunjirama Marar and Balakrishna Marar, a younger brother - Damodara Marar and a sister - Devaki. His father was a record keeper in the British Malabar government. During his childhood, Karunakaran was an expert in swimming, painting, football and volleyball. Though he was named Karunakara Marar, he later dropped his caste title, and came to be known just by his name. Karunakaran started his school education by joining Vadakara Govt. Lower Primary School in 1923. Later, he studied in Andallur govt. school and the famous Raja's High School near his home in Chirakkal. After passing matriculation from Raja's High School, he went to Thrissur and joined Govt. Fine Arts' college, from where he took degrees in painting and mathematics. For treating an eye disorder, he went to his maternal uncle's home in Vellanikkara near Thrissur, along with his elder brother Kunjirama Marar. Later, he married his maternal uncle's daughter Kalyanikkutty Amma in 1954 at Guruvayoor Temple, when he was 36 and Kalyanikkutty Amma was 30. K. Muraleedharan and Padmaja Venugopal, famous Congress politicians, are their children. It was in 1993, when Karunakaran was the Chief Minister, that Kalyanikkutty Amma died.
Political life
In 1937, Karunakaran joined the flood relief camps that were conducted by V. R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan, C. Achutha Menon, R.M. Manakkalath and other leaders of Prajamandalam, an early freedom struggle movement in Cochin State. He became a member of the Indian National Congress and began to wear Khadi. He also participated intensively in the trade union activities in the vast Thattil rubber estates where his uncle Raghavan Nair was a 'writer'. During this time, he would spare his artistic skills and labour in helping the workers' union for their wall writings and campaigns. Gradually, he was picked up by Panampilly Govinda Menon as his most favourite follower. In due course, Karunakaran rose to a level of the senior-most Leader of the Indian National Trade Union Congress. The INTUC later became one of the largest trade unions in India having with over 4 million memberships today. He went on to become the Thrissur District Congress Committee President, after which he was elected to the Cochin Legislative Assembly twice before the formation of Kerala State. He contested in the 1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections against a strong trade unionist and an ex. congressmen, DR.A R Menon, when no one in the state Congress party came up front to oppose Mr. Menon. When the results came, Karunakaran lost by less than one thousand votes, and A R Menon was heard saying, "Njan aanu shericku thottatu.." Karunakaran was denied a Congress ticket in the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections, after which he was allotted a ticket to contest from a strong Communist stronghold, Thrissur's Mala constituency in the 1965 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections. Karunakaran surprised everyone by defeating the left front candidate by more than 3000 votes, and since represented the constituency in 1967, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, and 1991. He was first elected as the Congress Legislative Party leader in 1967. He took over the State Congress Legislative Party's machinery when Congress was down to only 9 MLAs in the assembly.
Death
Karunakaran died on 23 December 2010, aged 92, at Ananthapuri Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was suffering from respiratory problems, fever and other age related diseases and had been hospitalized on 21 October 2010, never to be left alive again. His condition worsened following a stroke and death occurred following a cardiac arrest. His death was confirmed by doctors at 5:30 PM. It was coincidental that his death and Narasimha Rao's death was on same date. Karunakaran had played key role in backing the Rao Government and later Rao had dismissed Karunakaran from the chair of Chief Minister of Kerala. His funeral was attended by the then prime minister Manmohan Singh and the AICC chief Sonia Gandhi.
Biographies
The first biography on him titled 'K.Karunakaran' was written by Vrindavanam Venugopalan. Published by Islamiya Books, Aluva in 1992.
Controversies
K. Karunakaran was the home minister of Kerala during the emergency period. After the Emergency, the Rajan case rocked Kerala politics like no other issue before and Karunakaran was forced to step down as the case attracted national attention. It was a habeas corpus petition filed by T.V. Eachara Warrier asking the state machinery to produce his son Rajan in court. Rajan was allegedly killed by the police at Kakkayam police torture camp and the body disposed off Mad. The legal battle led by Rajan's father became one of the most remembered human rights fights in the state and diminished Karunakaran's popularity. The book is a lamentation of a father over his son's brutal death. He was an accused in the Palmolein Oil Import Scam, which was pending before the Supreme Court at the time of his death.
