Kochi: Oommen Chandy (79), who was a giant in Kerala politics and former chief minister, passed away. He passed away today at 4.25 in the morning at a hospital in Bengaluru. He was ill and was under treatment for a long time.
Oommen Chandy was born on 31st October in Kumarakat in Kottayam district as the son of KO Chandy and Baby Chandy at Puthupally Carrot Vallakal. After his education at St. George’s High School, Pudupally, he studied at CMS College, Kottayam and SB College, Changanassery, and obtained his BA degree. He also earned a law degree from Ernakulam Law College.
He entered politics through KSU. Oommen Chandy’s political career spans from KSU unit president of St. George High School Pudupally to the position of Chief Minister of Kerala.
Oommen Chandy, who has been a Member of Legislative Assembly from Pudupally for 51 years since 1970, contested his first contest from Pudupally Constituency in 1970. He defeated CPM MLA EM George by more than 7,000 votes and was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the first time. In all the subsequent assembly elections (1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021), he made it to the assembly from Puthupally.
He became Minister of Labor in 1977 in the K Karunakaran Cabinet and in 1978 in the AK Antony Cabinet. During 1981-1982, he was the Home Minister in Karunakaran’s cabinet. Karunakaran became the Finance Minister in the 1991-1995 Cabinet.
He also held a record by attending the 35th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2006.
After becoming Chief Minister for the first time in 2004, Oommen Chandy implemented a grievance redressal mechanism called public outreach. During his tenure as Chief Minister in 2004-2006 and 2011-2016, he successfully implemented the public relations programme.
