Prominent financial expert M Kunjaman passes away

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned economist and Dalit liberation thinker Dr M Kunhaman passed away. He was 75 years old. He was a professor in the economics department of Kerala University.

M Kunhaman was found dead near the dining hall of Harishree, House No-3, Srinagar Venchavode Sreekaryam at around 6 pm yesterday. Kunjaman was alone at home as his wife Dr Rohini, deputy director of the ST Development Department, was undergoing treatment in Malappuram for cancer. KM Shahjahan who was the former chief minister VS Achuthanandan's PS and Kunjaman were friends. Kunjaman had called on Shahjahan on Saturday afternoon. As he was busy, he said that they could meet on Sunday and accordingly reached Kunjaman's home yesterday evening with his friend Prasad Somarajan. He called on both numbers on the way but there was no response.

When he got home, the light outside switched on. The front door was locked. The bedroom also had a light and a fan running. There was newspaper and shoes on the porch. The officials of the nearby residents' association were called as there was no response after knocking on the door for a long time. They were the ones who informed the Sreekaryam police.

The front door was forced open following the instruction of the police Kunjaman was found dead inside. The police came and searched the room. A suicide note was found in the room which read "'I have been thinking about this for some time. No one is involved in my death". The letter was dated December 2. He had attempted suicide 15 years ago.

Sreekaryam police completed the inquest proceedings and shifted the body to the Medical College Hospital Mortuary. The preliminary conclusion of the police is that he may have died due to consumption of poison. The cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem.

Kunjamann was born to Ayyappan and Cherona at Vadanamkurussi near Pattambi, Palakkad. He has two children. Eldest daughter Anila died 20 years ago. Younger daughter Anjana, who is an engineer at Google, is in America. His son-in-law Darshan Nandi, is an IT manager in Chennai.

MA with first rank

Born into the Panan community, Dr M Kunhaman's childhood was filled with poverty and bitter experiences of caste discrimination. He took an MA in Economics from Victoria College, Palakkad with first rank. He obtained an MPhil from CDS, Thiruvananthapuram and a PhD from Cochin University. He has authored several famous works in the field of economics.