She was elected Member of Parliament thrice, from Ambalappuzha (1967), Alappuzha (1980) and Chirayinkil (1991), and was a Minister in the Government of Kerala for a number of years. Born to the famous kalari family, Cheerappanchira in Muhamma, she was educated in Alappuzha and Trivandrum and joined the Communist Party. She married A. K. Gopalan in 1952, one of the veterans of the party, whom she had met during his years in hiding.[1] She was 25 years younger than him.
She was one of the few women who held major responsibilities in the CPI (M) structure. She was a Minister in a number of LDF cabinets in Kerala. During her last term she was the Minister for Industries and Social Welfare. She lost by one vote to E. K. Nayanar in an election for chief ministership in the state committee of CPI(M), in whose cabinet she became the Minister for Industries and Social Welfare.[citation needed]
