P. P. Ummer Koya

Parappil Puthiyapurayil Ummer Kwaja (1 July 1922 – 1 September 2000) was an Indian politician, Gandhian, freedom fighter and educationist.^[1] He was the second Education Minister of Government of Kerala headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai.^[2] He also served as the Minister for Public Works in government headed by R. Sankar.^[3]

Political career

Born in Calicut, the young Ummer Koya entered public life as an activist of the Indian National Congress. He played a key role in building up the Congress Party in the Malabar region. He was appointed as the Malabar Youth Congress Convenor in 1952.^[4] Two years later, he was elected to the Madras Legislative Council.^[5] Ummer Koya contested 1960 elections as an Indian National Congress candidate from Manjeri constituency and was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly.^[6][7]

Koya held the portfolio of Education from February 1960 to September 1962, in the Ministry headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai. He also handled the Portfolio of Public Works, in the Ministry headed by R. Sankar from September 1962 to September 1964.^[8] During his political career, he also had served as the Vice President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). He had also a stint as a member of the Kerala Public Service Commission.^[5]

Along with K. Kelappan, M. P. Manmadhan, and M. K. Kumaran, Koya was actively involved in the campaign for prohibition.^[9]

P.P. Ummer Koya Award

An award titled P.P. Ummer Koya Award has been instituted by P.P. Ummer Koya Foundation, Kozhikode in honour of him. The prominent winners of the award include, Justice P. K. Shamsudheen (2007),^[10] freedom fighter K. E. Mammen (2008),^[11] and noted social activist and environmentalist A. Achyuthan (2009).^[12]

The Kerala Legislative Assembly paid its homage to him on 21 December 2000.

References

1. "Ex-Education Minister dead". The Tribune. 2 September 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
2. "SECOND KERALA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY". Information and Public Relation Department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
3. "COUNCIL OF MINISTERS SINCE 1957 - SECOND KLA". Kerala Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
4. "Former Kerala minister P.P. Ummer Koya dies". Indiainfo.com. 1 September 2000. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
5. "P.P. UMMER KOYA". stateofkerala.in. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
6. "MEMBERS OF PREVIOUS ASSEMBLY - SECOND KLA (1960 - 1964)". Kerala Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
7. "Statistical Report on General Election, 1960 to the Legislative Assembly of Kerala" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
8. "The official web site of the Department of General Education, Government of Kerala". Department of General Education, Govt. of Kerala. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
9. "Special issue of 'Prohibition' released". The Hindu. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
10. "Death anniversary". The Hindu. 1 September 2007. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
11. "Kozhikode Today". The Hindu. 30 August 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
12. "Award for Achyuthan". The Hindu. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2009.