Veteran CPI(M) leader SK Ashari dies at 93

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Thiruvananthapuram district secretariat member SK Ashari died at his home in Vattappara on Wednesday afternoon. He was 93. Ashari, a former member of the taluk committee of the undivided Communist Party, had been suffering from age-related ailments.

Born in 1933 in Chettachal village in Vithura panchayat, Ashari became active in public life as a student through library activities. He began his political career as a Communist Party worker in 1945.

Ashari served as the Nedumangad area secretary from 1981 to 1991 and became a district committee member in 1980. He was also a member of the district secretariat for a long period. He held several other party and organisational positions, including local committee secretary of the Karshika Sangh, Nedumangad taluk secretary, district secretary and member of the central committee of the All India Kisan Sabha. He was a member of the Vattappara local committee at the time of his death.

His mortal remains will be brought to the CPI Thiruvananthapuram district committee office at 9 a.m. on Thursday. After public viewing there until 11.30 a.m., the body will be taken to the Nedumangad area committee office for public homage at noon. The cremation will be held at Shanthitheeram in Nedumangad at 2 p.m.

Chettachal Sahadevan, a former CPI(M) district committee member, Nedumangad area secretary and Nedumangad municipal chairman, was his brother.
Ashari is survived by his wife, Thankamma; children S.K. Aneesh and S.K. Amrutha (Manju); and son-in-law Vivek Mohan.