Daily Archives: October 2, 2014

Industrialist P.K. Mohamed dead

P.K. Mohamed
P.K. Mohamed

People from all walks of life paid tributes to industrialist P.K. Mohamed, 73, who died here on Monday. He was the managing director (MD) of Western India Plywoods Ltd. (WIP).

He had been recuperating at his residence at Thana here after a recent cardiac surgery. The body was taken to Thalassery for burial at Elangol Juma Masjid, Chettamkunnu.

Early years

He followed his father, A.K. Kaderkutty, into the industry. After college education in Chennai, Mohamed went to Germany for extensive training in wood technology.

He joined WIP as production manager in 1962. He was made MD in 1993.

He was involved in the modernisation and diversification of the company.

He had functioned as office-bearer of the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and was a sports organiser. He was a member of various industry organisations and was actively involved in the social sphere.

He is survived by wife and four sons. Political leaders including Rural Development Minister K.C. Joseph and E. Ahamed paid their last respects.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kannur – October 01st, 2014

British guilty of many acts worse than Wagon Tragedy: historian

The British resorted to many crueller acts during the Malabar Rebellion of 1921 than the Wagon Tragedy and it was because of the martial law clamped in Malabar that the world did not know about them, historian M. Gangadharan has said.

Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on Wagon Tragedy at Tirur on Tuesday, Dr. Gangadharan said the tragedy was not the cruellest act of British oppression during the Malabar Rebellion.

“We used to believe that the Wagon Tragedy, in which 67 of the 90-odd Mapilas packed in a goods wagon from Tirur to Podanur suffocated to death, was the worst and cruellest incident of the Malabar Rebellion. But it was not,” Dr. Gangadharan told a packed audience.

He argued that the world learned about the Wagon Tragedy as there was no martial law in Podanur and, therefore, the incident was reported by major newspapers of the world.

“The dastardly act of the British came to light when the goods wagon was opened at Podanur. Had it occurred anywhere in Malabar, where the martial law prevented publishing of sensitive information, it would have gone unreported,” he said.

Dr. Gangadharan said that as many as 215 Mapila youngsters were pulled out of their homes and massacred in front of their families. “It happened on October 25, 1921. The Wagon Tragedy wasn’t as cruel as the killing of those adult Mapilas in front of their family,” Dr. Gangadharan said.

MES Central School, Tirur, organised the seminar as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Muslim Educational Society.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Mallapuram  – October 01st, 2014

Mathrubhumi award for Sugathakumari

Malayalam poetess Sugathakumari / PTI
Malayalam poetess Sugathakumari / PTI

Malayalam poet and social activist Sugathakumari has been chosen for Mathrubhumi Literary Award (Mathrubhumi Sahitya Puraskaram) for 2014.

This was announced by M.P. Veerendrakumar, managing director, and P.V. Chandran, managing editor of Mathrubhumi, here on Wednesday. The award carries a purse of Rs.2 lakh, a citation, and a statuette. A judging committee comprising poet Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri as chairman and poet K. Satchitanandan and literary critic M. Leelavathi as members chose Ms. Sugathakumari in recognition of her contributions to Malayalam literature for the past 50 years.

Major works

Some of her prominent works arePathirappookal; Raathrimazha; Ambalamani; Krishnakavithakal; Radhayevide; Kurinjippookkal; and Thulaavarshappacha.

The 80-year-old poet was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2006 for waging a struggle against the destruction of environment in the name of development.

She is the founder editor of Thaliru, a children’s magazine published by the Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature and former chairperson of the Kerala State Women’s Commission.

Ms. Sugathakumari is also the founder secretary of Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, an organisation for the protection of nature and of Abhaya, a home for destitute women. The literary award is being presented to her on the occasion of the 90 year of Mathrubhumi.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kozhikode – October 02nd, 2014

House Donated by Freedom Fighter Left in Lurch

Palakkad :

While cleaning programmes mark the observance of the Gandhi Jayanthi across the country, the house and property donated by Gandhiji’s fellow freedom fighter Raghava Poduval in Paruthipra near Shoranur to Sarvodya Sangham stand in utter neglect.The house is located in the three acres of land on the banks of the Nila. The property was donated by Shoranur Parathipra Mahadevamangalam Neduvilpat Raghava Poduval alias Raghavji to the Sarvodaya Sangham before his death in December 1992.

Raghavji was one among the 78 persons  participated in the Dandi Yathra led by Mahathma Gandhi. “When we were children, we used to purchase gingelly oil from the mill set up here. Soap, honey and khadi clothes were also made at Raghavji’s house. Weaving classes were alsoconducted here,” said social activist Prasad Shoranur.  “After India attained Independence, Gandhiji exhorted all freedom fighters to return to their villages and continue their work. And Raghavji returned to Parathipra near Shoranur and continued his selfless service here,” he said.

Manager of the building Vanaja said that most of the buildings were in a dilapidated condition. “Only a few buildings here are safe.

“ We collect clothes, honey and oil from the various Sarvodsaya Sanghams now and keep it in this building. During this Onam, we clocked a sale of `2,40,000,” said Vanaja. “We are not getting any other funds for maintenance,” she adds.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by A. Satish / October 12th, 2014