M. N. Govindan Nair

M. N. Govindan Nair
Member of parliament for Thiruvananthapuram
In office 1977–1979
Preceded by	V. K. Krishna Menon
Succeeded by	Neelalohithadasan Nadar
Minister for Transport & Electricity
In office 25 September 1971 – 25 March 1977
Preceded by	K. M. George
Succeeded by	P. K. Vasudevan Nair
Minister for Agriculture & Electricity
In office 6 March 1967 – 21 October 1969
Preceded by	E. P. Poulose
Succeeded by	O. Koran
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office 1970–1977
Preceded by	D. D. Potti
Succeeded by	E. Chandrasekharan Nair
Constituency	Chadayamangalam
In office 1967–1970
Preceded by	K. Krishna Pillai
Succeeded by	K. Krishna Pillai
Constituency	Punalur
Member of Parliament of Rajya Sabha
In office 1962–1967
Constituency	Kerala
Secretary of the Communist Party of India, Kerala State Council
In office 1970–1971
Preceded by	S. Kumaran
Succeeded by	N. E. Balaram
In office 1956–1959
Preceded by	C. Achutha Menon
Succeeded by	E. M. S. Namboodiripad
Member of Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly
In office 1952–1954
Personal details
Born	(1910-12-10)10 December 1910 Pandalam, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India
Died	27 November 1984(1984-11-27) (aged 73)
Political party	Communist Party of India
Spouse	Devaki
Children	1 Son, 1 Daughter
Source: [1]

M. N. Govindan Nair (10 December 1910 – 27 November 1984), popularly known as MN, was an Indian communist politician born in Pandalam, in Pathanamthitta district, India. He is known as "Kerala Khrushchev".

Political life

Statue in Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram

M.N. began his public life by involving himself in anti-caste struggles taking place in the locality. He was also associated with Nair Service Society in his early days.

M.N's political life got a fillip when he visited Wardha, and met with many national leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru. Later he joined the communist movement in Kerala. He was one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

He was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), and it was under his secretaryship that CPI came to power in the 1957 General Elections in Kerala which made the path for the E.M.S. Namboothiripad Ministry of 1957–1959. In 1964 when Communist Party split he remained in the CPI. He was Member of Parliament, and served as the Minister of Kerala. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in the General Elections of 1967 from Punalur Constituency and re-elected to the Assembly from Chadayamangalam Constituency in 1971 General Election. He undertook portfolios like Minister for Agriculture, Transport, Electricity and Housing in the Fourth Kerala Legislative Assembly in the C. Achutha Menon Government from 4 October 1970 to 25 March 1977.

Major policies

He was instrumental in pushing lot of radical and progressive policies and legislations in Kerala.

M.N. was responsible for launching the 'Laksham Veedu' or One Lakh housing scheme project in 1972, aimed at providing housing for the under privileged. In his respect, the scheme is now named after him.^[1][2]

While being part of United Front (1970–1979, Kerala) he pushed legislations like Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971 which nationalised private forest in Malabar region, Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1969 etc.^[3]

References

1. Assary, Gilveser (25 December 2016). "2016 Year of Change: House for all". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
2. https://shodhgangotri.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/5192/2/2_synopsis.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
3. Staff Reporter (17 December 2010). "M.N. Govindan Nair remembered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 May 2022.

• "Kerala's First Government : Pro-Bill Procession. Trivandrum, August 28". Information and Public Relations department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
• "Ministries Since 1957 (After the formation of Kerala State)". Information and Public Relations department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
• "Members of Previous Assembly > Fourth Kerala Legislative Assembly (1970 - 1977)". Kerala Legislature. Retrieved 4 December 2010.