Saturday, January 17, 2004
Kannur: The veteran Communist and former Forest Minister, Kanthalot Kunhambu, died at his residence in Keecheri near here tonight. He was 87. Kanthalot, as he was popularly known, had been in and out of hospital for the past few months. The end came at 9-30 p.m.
Born on December 8, 1916 at Pappinissery, Kanthalot Kunhambu got his training under a well-known local Ayurveda practitioner after completing his lower primary education. Attracted to the activities of the local Congress workers, he had taken part in the toddy shop picketing in 1930.
Kanthalot who was sent to jail in May 1948 for his political involvements, after release, become the member of the Communist Party's Chirakkal taluk committee. Following the party split in 1964, he stood with the CPI and served as the party's district secretary. He had became the Forest Minister in the K. Karunakaran-headed Ministry that had come to power in 1977. He had also visited the erstwhile Soviet Union. He is survived by his wife, Yashoda Teacher. They had no children.
B.Sajithlal, the co-ordinator of Payyanur Dot Com vistited Kanathlot's house to pay the last tribute and conveyed our condolences.
