Kochi :

Leader of the undivided communist party and freedom fighter Koothattukulam Mary passed away at Velloor in Kottayam on Sunday. She was 93.

Born to Elisamma and Kochuparambil Pathrose at Udumbannoor in Thodupuzha on September 24, 1921, Mary joined the freedom struggle while she was a class IX student of St John’s English Medium School, Vadakara. She joined the communist party in 1948. In 1951, she was arrested by the state police and was subjected to severe custodial torture. Later she married communist leader C S George. Litterateur, the late C J Thomas was her maternal uncle.

After her release from jail, her family moved to Malabar, where she started teaching at the Perinthalmanna government school. A former member of Kottayam and Malappuram local committees of the CPI, she had been a special invitee to the party’s Kottayam district committee.

She is survived by daughters Girija C George, Aisha C George, Shylaja C George and Sulekha C George. During her last years, she had been staying with Sulekha at Velloor.

Former minister Binoy Viswam, Kerala Administrative Tribunal chairman Justice K Balakrishnan Nair, artist Babu Paul and Kerala State Textiles Corporation managing director Rajan are her sons-in-law. She will be laid to rest on Monday.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kochi / TNN / June 23rd, 2014