Malappuram , 11 March (H.S.):Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former manager of the Deshabhimani Malappuram unit, E.N. Mohandas, passed away at the age of 74. He had been undergoing treatment at EMS Hospital in Perinthalmanna after suffering a stroke.

A long-time party activist and respected public figure in Malappuram district, Mohandas had served the CPI(M) in several important organisational roles over the decades. He was twice the district secretary of the party in Malappuram and was also a member of the CPM State Committee.

Mohandas began his public life through student and youth movements, gradually rising through the ranks of the Left movement in the region. During his early political years, he served as the district joint secretary of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and later as the secretary of the Eranad taluk committee. His involvement in student activism laid the foundation for his long political career.

Over the years, he held numerous key positions within the party and affiliated organisations. He served as the Malappuram district secretary of the party, district president of the Kerala Socialist Youth Federation (KSYF), and the first district president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). Within the party structure, he was also the secretary of the CPI(M) Indianoor branch, Kottakkal local secretary, Malappuram area secretary and a member of the Eranad taluk committee.

Apart from his political work, Mohandas was actively involved in trade union and cooperative sector activities. He served as a member of the district committees of both the Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilali Union (KSKTU) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). He was also the secretary of the EMS Study and Research Centre in Malappuram.

In the media sector, Mohandas played a significant role as the first manager of the Deshabhimani Malappuram unit. He also served as the vice-chairman of Raidco. In the cooperative sector, he was the president of the Kodur Service Cooperative Bank for many years and later served as a director of the District Bank.

Professionally, Mohandas worked as a school teacher and retired in 2007 as the headmaster of Mannazhi AUP School. He was also associated with the Arya Vaidya Sala Workers’ Federation (CITU) as its president and served as a member of the district planning committee.

Born on September 15, 1951, in Indianoor Edayattu Nedumburam in Malappuram district, Mohandas was the son of the late Velu Nair and Parukkutty Amma.

He is survived by his wife K. Geetha, a retired teacher; daughter Dr. Divya, who works at Arya Vaidya Sala in Kottakkal; and son Dhyan Mohan, an IT engineer. His son-in-law Dr. P.P. Jayaprakashan is an assistant professor at TMG Government College, Tirur, and daughter-in-law Sreejisha is also an IT engineer.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman