A. Of. Gopalan (English: Ayilyath Kuttiari Gopalan; born- October 1, 1904, Kannur, Kerala; died- March 22, 1977, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) was one of the freedom fighters of India and a famous communist leader of Kerala. He also did teaching work for seven years. He used to organize separate classes for poor students.
When Mahatma Gandhi started the ‘Satyagraha Movement’, A. Of. Gopalan resigned from the post of teacher. When Congress Samajwadi Party was formed in the year 1934, he became its member. Later he joined the Communist Party. When the Communist Party split in 1964, Gopalan preferred to remain in the Communist Party (Marxist). He has also written many books including his autobiography.
A. Of. Gopalan was a great leader of Kerala. He was born on October 1, 1902 in Kannur, Kerala. He started his life as a school teacher. He was also a social reformer and wanted to improve the condition of the lower classes. He played an important role in ‘Guruvayur Satyagraha’ in 1932 AD and was also beaten on the issue of temple entry. After this, Gopalan conducted public awareness tours across Kerala. Later he started leaning towards communism and became the most popular communist leader of Kerala. He played an important role in the establishment of the Congress Socialist Party in Kerala. He led mass movements against the autocracy of Travancore’s Dewan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. Even after independence, he remained active in Kerala politics.[1]
After completing education A. Of. Gopalan also worked as a teacher for seven years. The feeling of patriotism was there in him right from the beginning. He used to organize separate classes for backward class students and promote Khadi. When Gandhiji started the ‘Salt Satyagraha’ in 1930, Gopalan resigned as a teacher and was arrested for participating in the Satyagraha. In 1932, Gopalan was also arrested in the Satyagraha that was carried out for everyone’s entry into the famous temple of South Guruvayur.
At this time an incident happened in his personal life. His father had already married him, so that he could remain stable and do some work. But A. Of. Seeing Gopalan’s political and social reform activities, the wife’s uncle forcefully took his niece away from Gopalan’s house forever in 1932. A. Of. Gopalan got married for the second time in 1952. His wife Sushila Gopalan was also a member of the Lok Sabha from 1967 to 1971.
A. Of. Gopalan participated in the ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’ of 1932-1933 and became a member of the Congress Samajwadi Party when it was formed in 1934. Later all the members of this party in Kerala joined the Communist Party. Gopalan used his energy to organize farmers and laborers. In this he led a 750 mile long front from Kannur in Kerala to Madras. After joining the Communist Party, Gopalan went underground. When he was arrested in March 1941 and imprisoned, he broke out of jail in September. Then he continued working underground for 5 years. Even after independence, he was arrested under the Internment Act in 1947. But he was released on the decision of the High Court.[2]
After this A. Of. Gopalan’s Lok Sabha membership lasted for a long time. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in the elections of 1952, 1957, 1962 and 1971. When the Communist Party split in 1964, Gopalan preferred to remain in the Communist Party (Marxist).
A. Of. Gopalan died on 22 March 1977, at ‘Thiruvananthapuram Medical College’. He had traveled to many countries including Russia. He has also written many books including his autobiography.
