Kerala - Kollam   

CPI leader Thoppil Gopalakrishnan dead

KOLLAM: CPI leader and former editor of Janayugam and Syndicate member of University of Kerala Thoppil Gopalakrishnan passed away on Wednesday morning while being taken to a private hospital from his residence here.

He was 63 and is survived by his wife Usha and two daughters. He was taken to the hospital on experiencing severe respiratory problems.

The funeral will take place at the compound of his ancestral house at Vallikunnam, near Kayamkulam, at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The body was kept at the CPI district committee office here from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday for the people to pay their last respects.

Among those who arrived to pay their last respects were Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran, Forest Minister Benoy Viswom, novelist Kakanadan, Vice-Chancellor of University of Kerala A.K. Ramachandran Nair, Kollam Mayor N. Padmalochanan and District Collector A. Shajehan. At 12.30 p.m. the body was taken to Vallikunnam.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan entered mainstream politics through the campus.

In 1967, he was State secretary of the AISF and chairman of Kollam S.N. College union.

In 1981, he was all-India general secretary of the AIYF and in that capacity led the job or jail agitation of the AIYF. From 1984 to 1986 he was the Pathanamthitta district secretary of the CPI.

From 1986 to 1993 he was the editor-in-chief of Janayugam and later managing director of Janayugam Publications.

He was also the president of the Kollam District Cooperative Bank from 1997 to 2001.

He is the nephew of Thoppil Bhasi and son-in-law of Kambissery Karunakaran.

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