Oommen Chandy remembered on first death anniversary

Thiruvananthapuram, July 18 (IANS) A year has passed since the passing away of two-time Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. On his first death anniversary on Thursday numerous programmes are being held across the state to remember him.

The 79-year-old Chandy, while being a legislator from Puthupally assembly constituency in Kottayam district that he represented since 1970 till his death, was not only popular in Puthupally but across the state.

When he passed away, he held the record of being the longest serving legislator without tasting defeat, for a staggering 53 years.

The very fact that his hearse took 38 hours to cover a distance of just 158 kms,from his home in the capital city to his ancestral residence in Puthupally, shows the love and respect he commanded.

His final resting place at the famed St George Orthodox Church -- his home parish at Puthupally -- gets a huge crowd who stop there to pray.

On Thursday morning it was a sea of humanity at the Church with thousands of people joining in the first anniversary remembrance prayers led by the bishops and priests of the Orthodox Syrian Church.

Numerous tales of Chandy’s benevolence who was known for his humility are recounted numerous times.

Be it kids or elders, he was always called by his name Oommen Chandy and each time he heard his name being called, especially when he was chief minister from 2004-06 and then again from 2011-16, he used to stop and hear the grievance.

In his second term as chief minister he had reached Kozhikode district and as he was leaving after attending a programmed at a school, a young boy called his name ‘Oommen Chandy, Oommen Chandy’ . He stopped and came to the boy. The boy told him that his classmate did not have a home and Chandy assured him that it will be arranged and it was done.

His Puthupally assembly constituency is now represented by his son Chandy Oommen.