Oommen Chandy, the former chief minister of Kerala and a veteran leader of the Indian National Congress, passed away on July 18, 2023, at the age of 79. He was undergoing treatment for cancer at a hospital in Bengaluru, where he breathed his last. His demise has left a massive void in the political landscape of Kerala and India, as he was widely respected and admired for his decades-long service to the people.
Table of Contents
Early Life and Education
Oommen Chandy was born on October 21, 1943, in Puthuppally, a village in the Kottayam district of Kerala. He belonged to an affluent Christian family that had roots in the Syrian Orthodox Church. His father, K.O. Chandy, was a lawyer and a freedom fighter who participated in the Quit India Movement. His mother, Baby Chandy, was a homemaker.
Oommen Chandy completed his schooling at St George High School in Puthuppally and CMS College High School in Kottayam. He then graduated in law from SB College in Changanassery and Government Law College in Ernakulam. He was an active student leader and joined the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Congress party, in 1957. He became the state president of KSU in 1967 and the state president of the Youth Congress in 1969.
BIO/WIKI
| Name | Oommen Chandy |
| Date of birth | October 21, 1943 |
| Place of birth | Puthuppally, Kottayam district, Kerala |
| Date of death | July 18, 2023 |
| Place of death | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Spouse | Mariamma Oommen |
| Children | Maria Oommen, Chandy Oommen, Achu Oommen |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Assembly constituency | Puthuppally |
| Chief Minister of Kerala | 2004-2006; 2011-2016 |
| Social Links | Wikipedia- @Oommen_Chandy Instagram- @oommen_chandy Facebook- @oommenchandy.official Homepage- mcphagwara.com |
Political career
Oommen Chandy entered electoral politics in 1970 when he contested and won from the Puthuppally assembly constituency at the age of 27. He went on to win from the same seat 12 consecutive times, making him the longest-serving MLA in Kerala’s history. He never lost an election in his life.
Oommen Chandy held various ministerial portfolios in different governments led by the Congress party or its allies. He was the Minister of Labour from 1977 to 1978, Minister of Home Affairs from 1981 to 1982, Minister of Finance from 1991 to 1994, Minister of Finance and Law from 2001 to 2004, and Minister of Vigilance from 2004 to 2006.
He became the chief minister of Kerala for the first time in 2004 after his predecessor A.K. Antony resigned following a poor performance of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Lok Sabha elections. He led a coalition government that lasted for two years until it was defeated by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by V.S. Achuthanandan in the 2006 assembly elections.
He became the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011 and led a spirited campaign against the LDF government on various issues such as corruption, development, and welfare. He also played a key role in reviving the fortunes of the UDF in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and the 2010 local body elections.
He became the chief minister of Kerala for the second time in 2011, after leading the UDF to a narrow victory over the LDF in the assembly elections. He headed a coalition government that had only a two-seat majority in the assembly but managed to complete its full term of five years despite facing several challenges and controversies.
He lost power to the LDF led by Pinarayi Vijayan in the 2016 assembly elections but continued to be an influential leader of the Congress party and the UDF. He was re-elected from Puthuppally for the 12th time in the 2021 assembly elections but did not take up any post due to his ill health.
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Achievements, and Contributions
Oommen Chandy is widely regarded as one of the most successful and popular chief ministers of Kerala. He is credited with initiating several reforms and development projects that transformed the state’s economy, infrastructure, education, health care, and social welfare.
Some of his notable achievements and contributions are:
- He launched a Mass Contact Programme (MCP) in 2011 to directly interact with thousands of people across Kerala and address their grievances and demands. The programme received accolades from various quarters including the United Nations Public Service Award in 2013.
- He implemented an ambitious plan called Emerging Kerala to attract investments and create employment opportunities in various sectors such as IT, tourism, health care, agriculture, and industry.
- He introduced several welfare schemes such as the Karunya Benevolent Fund, which provided financial assistance to poor patients to treat serious diseases, and Saranya, which empowered destitute women by providing them with self-employment loans.
- He promoted the concept of People’s Planning, which involved the participation of local bodies and communities in the formulation and implementation of development plans.
- He supported the cause of women’s empowerment and gender equality by implementing schemes such as She-Taxi, which provided safe and secure transportation for women, and Nirbhaya, which provided legal and psychological support to victims of sexual violence.
- He championed the cause of environmental protection and sustainable development by promoting renewable energy sources, banning plastic bags, initiating waste management projects, and launching the Haritha Keralam Mission to improve the state’s green cover and water resources.
- He fostered a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by setting up institutions such as Startup Village, Kerala State Innovation Council, and Kerala Institute of Entrepreneurship Development.
- He strengthened the state’s relations with the central government and other states by maintaining cordial ties with leaders across party lines. He also enhanced the state’s global outreach by hosting events such as Emerging Kerala Global Connect, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, and Loka Kerala Sabha.
Personal Life, Spouse, and Children
Oommen Chandy married Mariamma Oommen, a bank employee, in 1976. They have three children: Maria Oommen, a doctor; Chandy Oommen, a lawyer, and politician; and Achu Oommen, a singer and social activist.
Oommen was a devout Christian who regularly attended church services and prayed. He was also known for his simple and austere lifestyle. He did not own a house or a car and lived in a rented apartment in Thiruvananthapuram. He did not use any security personnel or protocol while traveling. He was accessible to the public at all times and often received visitors at his residence.
Oommen was also a sports enthusiast who played badminton and cricket in his younger days. He was an avid reader who enjoyed books on history, politics, and spirituality. He was also fond of music and movies.
Parents, and Siblings
His parents were K.O. Chandy and Baby Chandy. They were both from Puthuppally, a village in Kottayam district of Kerala. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a homemaker. They had two sons: Oommen Chandy and Alex V. Chandy.
His father died in 1973 due to a heart attack. His mother died in 2015 due to old age. They were both devout Christians who belonged to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Death & Tributes
Oommen Chandy was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and underwent treatment at various hospitals in India and abroad. He continued to be active in politics until his health deteriorated in 2021. He was admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru on July 15, 2023, where he succumbed to the disease on July 18, 2023.
His death was mourned by leaders across party lines, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, and many others.
His body was brought to Thiruvananthapuram on July 18, 2023, where it was kept at the Raj Bhavan, the state secretariat, and the KPCC office for people to pay their last respects. His funeral was held on July 19, 2023, at his native Puthuppally with full state honors. Thousands of people attended his funeral to bid farewell to their beloved leader.
Trivia/Facts
- Oommen Chandy was nicknamed “Kunju” (meaning small or young) by his family and friends.
- He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to join politics.
- Oommen was arrested during the Emergency in 1976 for participating in an anti-government protest.
- He was the youngest minister in Kerala’s history when he became the Labour Minister at the age of 34 in 1977.
- He was instrumental in bringing the first private FM radio station in Kerala, Radio Mango, in 2007.
- Oommen was conferred with the United Nations Public Service Award in 2013 for his Mass Contact Programme.
- He was honored with the Asianet News Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 for his contributions to Kerala’s development.
- Oommen was ranked as the best chief minister in India by India Today magazine in 2015 based.