Iron lady of Kerala

K. R. Gouri Amma

Iron lady of Kerala

K. R. Gouri Amma (born Kalathilparambil Raman Gouriamma,14 July 1919 – 11 May 2021)was an Indian politician and the first revenue minister of Kerala state. She was a Marxist revolutionary, advocate, author and diplomat. She was also one of the founding leaders of the Communist movement in Kerala. She headed the Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy (JSS), a political party based in Kerala. Prior to the formation of JSS she was a prominent figure in the communist movement in Kerala. She was the first female law student coming from the Ezhava community. She was a minister in the communist-led ministries in Kerala in 1957, 1967, 1980 and 1987. She also became a minister in the Congress-led cabinet from 2001 to 2006. She held the record for the second longest serving MLA in Kerala Legislative Assembly.

She was an inspiration for generations of Kerala women. Her vibrant political activism, fierce fights against the feudal system, strong stand taken for the women cause and exception administrative acumen have garnered her the nickname 'iron lady' and helped her carve an exclusive space in the male-dominated politics of Kerala. Leaders across the political class paid glowing tributes to her indomitable spirit and enviable grit to be on her own even beyond the ripe old age of 100. Stand-in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress leaders Oomen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala and BJP president K Surendran led the mourners.

She won 13 of the 16 elections on both sides of the formation of Kerala. She was the Minister for Agriculture and Social Welfare in the EK Nayanar Ministry from January 1980 to October 1981. She was also the Minister for Industries, Social welfare, Vigilance and Administration of Justice in the second Nayanar Ministry from March 1987 to June 1991. She was expelled from the CPI(M) in 1994 for anti-party activities, following which she founded the Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy (JSS). She handled the portfolios of Agriculture University, Animal Husbandry and Coir in the Oommen Chandy Cabinet during 2004 to 2006.

Her early life is the stuff of Communist folklore. In 1957, Gowri Amma was the Revenue Minister and she married party comrade and Industries Minister TV Thomas in a typical party-arranged wedding.

When the Communist Party split in 1964, Thomas stayed with the CPI while Gauri Amma chose to join the newly-founded Communist Party of India (Marxist). The couple separated in 1965 on ‘ideological’ grounds.

Cutting across party lines, condolence messages poured in from various corners of the country expressing deep grief over the woman leader's demise and hailing her contributions. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said she was a perfect symbol of women empowerment, Pinarayi Vijayan termed her as a brave women who had made her own life a heroic story of the liberation struggle of the land, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi remembered her as a 'tall presence in Kerala politics'.

By Akshay Raj