M. V. Raghavan
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Family name hatnote|Melathu Veettil|lang=Malayali}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| native_name =
| name = M. V. Raghavan
| image =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1933|05|05}}
| birth_place = Cannanore, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India
(present day Kannur, Kerala, India)
| nationality = Indian
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2014|11|09|1933|05|05}}
| party = {{Unbulleted_list|Communist Party of India
(1949–1964)|Communist Party of India (Marxist)
(1964–1986)|Communist Marxist Party}}
| children = 4 (incl. M. V. Nikesh Kumar)
| spouse = Janaki
}}
Melathu Veettil Raghavan (5 May 1933 – 9 November 2014) was a veteran Communist leader and a former Minister in Kerala state of India.{{cite web|url=http://niyamasabha.org/codes/min19.htm |title=Minister for Co-operation|publisher=Kerala Legislative Assembly, Thiruvananthapuram |accessdate=2009-07-25}} He was the General Secretary of the CMP, an alliance partner in the UDF. Prior to the formation of the CMP he was a prominent leader of the CPI(M).{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/marxist-communist-party-founder-mv-raghavan-passes-away-1794239.html|title=Marxist Communist Party founder MV Raghavan passes away|date=9 November 2014}}{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/m-v-raghavan-communist-leader-who-took-on-cpm-in-kerala-dead/|title = M V Raghavan, Communist leader who took on CPM in Kerala, passes away|date = 10 November 2014}}
He was expelled from the CPI(M) following an inner party struggle in which he advocated alliance with the Kerala Congress and the IUML against the official line of keeping these 2 parties out of LDF. He then formed the CMP and later joined the UDF. He was a minister in UDF governments a number of times.
He belongs to Kannur district of Kerala. His district is one of the developing zones in the country. Raghavan set up the first co-operative sector medical college in the country, Government Medical College in Kannur District. He was the key person to build the first Visha Chikitsa Kendram (Snake Venom Removal Centre) in Pappinisseri, Kannur district. His other major achievement has been the setting up of a Snake Park in Dharmasala, which has become a major tourist attraction.
Positions held
- Member, 4th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Madayi – CPI(M)
- Member, 5th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Thaliparamba – CPI(M)
- Member, 6th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Kuthuparamba – CPI(M)
- Member, 7th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Payyannur – CPI(M)
- Member, 8th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Azhikode – CMP
- Member, 9th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Kazhakkootam – CMP
- Member, 11th Kerala Legislative Assembly from Trivandrum-West-CMP{{Cite web | url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/members/m533.htm |title = Members - Kerala Legislature}}
- Minister for Co-Operation, Government of Kerala, 24 June 1991 to 9 May 1996
- Minister for Co-Operation and Ports, Government of Kerala, 17 May 2001 to 20 April 2006
- President, Pappinissery Panchayat, Kannur (16 years)
Personal life
Raghavan was born to Shankaran Nambiar on 5 May 1933 in Kannur.{{Cite web |url=http://ceokerala.nic.in/SE/115/M_V_RAGHAVAN/MVRAGHAVAN_CR1.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410140215/http://ceokerala.nic.in/SE/115/M_V_RAGHAVAN/MVRAGHAVAN_CR1.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=dead }} He was married to Janaki. The couple have three sons,{{Cite web|url=https://www.marunadanmalayalee.com/|title=MarunadanMalayalee.com|website=www.marunadanmalayalee.com}} notable being M. V. Nikesh Kumar, a journalist{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/02/04/stories/2005020402070200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604104547/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/02/04/stories/2005020402070200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 June 2011 | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Writing with light | date=4 February 2005}} and a daughter.
Since 2005, Raghavan was bed-ridden with advanced Parkinson's disease. He died on 9 November 2014{{Cite web | url=http://www.marunadanmalayali.com/news/keralam/raghavan-died-6958 |title = എം വി രാഘവൻ അന്തരിച്ചു; യാത്രയായത് കേരളം കണ്ട ഏറ്റവും തന്റേടിയായ രാഷ്ട്രീയ നേതാവ്; അവ}} at the age of 81.{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cmp-leader-mv-raghavan-passes-away/article6580210.ece | title= CMP leader M.V. Raghavan passes away | date=9 November 2014 | newspaper=The Hindu | accessdate=26 November 2019 }} He was cremated with full state honours at Payyambalam Beach Crematorium, near the memorials of Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai, A. K. Gopalan, K. G. Marar and E. K. Nayanar. Janaki, his wife, died in 2021.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.rediff.com/news/aug/07ragha.htm Rediff On The NeT: Communist Marxist Party leader M V Raghavan in a no-holds-barred interview about his recent arrest]
- [http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/members/m533.htm Members - Kerala Legislature]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghavan, M. V.}}
Category:Politicians from Kannur
Category:Communist Marxist Party politicians
Category:Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from Kerala
Category:Kerala MLAs 1970–1977
Category:Kerala MLAs 1977–1979
Category:Kerala MLAs 1980–1982
Category:Kerala MLAs 1982–1987