About M Sukumarapillai

Sri. M. Sukumara Pillai was a veteran trade unionist and politician of Kerala. For friends and foes alike in both fields, he was lovable and affectionate. Born in a landlord family on 25 April 1936, in a remote village at Kudassanad in Alappuzha District, he spent his school days at Haripad and Kalanjoor. He graduated from MG college, Thiruvananthapuram, after a short stint at NSS college, Pandalam.

Form the college days, he was left minded; on that count associated with Sri R.Balakrishna Pillai at MG college, Thriuvananthapuram. In march 1957, he joined the service of erstwhile State Electricity Department. On formation of KSEBoard from Department in April 1957, he began his career as  a trade unionist and led maiden discussions on the grievances of workmen of KSEB before the then Electricity Minister, late Sri V.R.Krishna Iyer (former Judge of Supreme Court). Ever since 1957, till his death on 27 February 2014, he championed the cause of  workmen in KSEBoard. This was acclaimed by all sections of workmen and officers of KSEBoard.

M. Sukumara Pillai’s  political ‘GURU’ was late CPI leader M.N.Govindan Nair. His trade union mentor was late P. Balachandra Menon former MP and  renowned AITUC National President.

Though started as a trade unionist  in power industry, Sri. Pillai’s trade union, social and political activities surpassed that horizon ostensibly landing in the workers movement in sugar industry and State Warehousing Corporation, Indo-Soviet Cultural Society, different positions in the CPI from District level to State level. His management skill was hailed by many a  top brass in Government, when he was twice (2001 & 2011) Chairman of ‘Kerafed’, a Government undertaking. He steered the loss making undertaking to a profit earning Unit. He built the new serene and proud headquarters for ‘Kerafed’ at Thiruvananthapuram.

After retirement from service in April 1991, he held various positions in the ‘Communist Party Of India’, as Pathanamthitta District Secretary, State Council Member and State Executive Member.He was Secretary AITUC, Kerala, President and Working President of Kerala Electricity Workers’ Federation (KEWF) from its very inception, and was Secretary of All India Federation of Electricity Employees. He patronized the memorials and trusts in the name of veteran party and TU leaders such as P.T.Punnoose, M.N.Govindan Nair, T.V.Thomas and  R.R Ravindran in Pathanamthitta Dist.

In his political and trade union career, Sri Pillai had bonded association with veterans like M.N.Govindan Nair, P.Balachandra Menon, A.B.Bardhan, K.A.Rajan, Veliyam Bhargavan, J. Chitharanjan, CK.Chandrappan, KC.Mathew, S.C.Krishnan (Tamil Nadu), KP Kosala Ramadas, to name a few.

As an ISCUS activist, he represented Indian delegation at the World Peace Meet in Moscow in 1972, along with Vayalar Ravi and Ambika Soni.

Apart from a renowned organizer, he was a mass puller in public meetings. His speech, laced with subtle humor was a major attraction. His acumen and skill in negotiating disputes were renowned by everybody who came across, they include Ministers, top bureaucrats and other leaders. A Philanthropist and humanist, his letters on burning issues of employees and public were worth keeping; some top Government officials still preserve them for intellectual exercise