Former Minister N Ramakrishnan passes away

Congress leader and former Labour Minister of the state, N Ramakrishnan, popularly known as NR in political circles here, died at a private hospital in Mangalore on Monday. He was 76.

N Ramakrishnan, who was suffering from lung cancer was admitted to the AKG Hospital here last week. He was taken to a private hospital in Mangalore for expert medical treatment, and he breathed his last on Monday afternoon, according to hospital sources. NR had served the state as Labour Minister in 1991 state Cabinet led by the late K Karunakaran. He also had served as the president of the Kannur District Congress Committee for a long period of 16 years.

Born in 1941 at Anjarakkandy in the district here, NR started his political life as a beedi worker and a trade union activist representing the INTUC. He became a close associate of the late Congress leader K Karunakaran after getting elected to the state Assembly from the Edakkad constituency in Kannur district in 1970. NR, who was chosen as the president of the Kannur DCC in 1971 continued to hold the post for 16 years.

Unfortunately, NR was defeated consecutively twice in the polls for the state Assembly that followed. He also lost the poll when he contested as candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency in 1980. He had served as chairman of the Kannur Municipality.

NR’s political career took a turn for the better when he was elected from the Kannur Assembly constituency in 1991. As a close associate of the late K Karunakaran, NR joined as Labour Minister in the Cabinet led by K Karunakaran on July 2, 1991, and continued till March 16, 1995. NR had to quit the ministry when Karunakaran was forced to quit as Chief Minister in 1995.

In the next Assembly poll that followed NR was offered no ticket to contest from Kannur. He contested the poll as an independent candidate with the support of the Left Front but lost it, with K Sudhakaran emerging the winner. And then began his political oblivion. NR, who continued as a member of the KPCC executive was all set to make another come-back to Congress politics when he breathed his last on Monday at a Mangalore hospital. NR is survived by wife, Jayalakshmi, son, Niran Das (Gulf), and daughters Aprana and Amrutha.

Cong Leaders to Receive Mortal Remains of NR

The mortal remains of the deceased Congress leader and former Labour Minister N Ramakrishnan will be received by Congress leaders from the KMC Hospital, Mangalore, at 10.30 am on Tuesday.

According to Congress leader Satheesan Pacheni, the body will be placed at the Congress offices at Manjeswaram, Kasargod, Payyanur and Taliparamba for the public to pay homage before being taken to his house at Talap here.

The body will be placed at the District Congress Committee office here at 9am on Wednesday to enable the public to pay their last respects. The body will also be kept on the premises of the Kannur Municipal Office at 10 am.  The cremation will be held at 12 noon at Payyambalam. A hartal will be held in the district here on October 3 as a mark of respect to the departed Congress leader. Vehicles will be exempted from the hartal.