KANNUR: Beedi worker Chaladan Janardhanan (65) who donated his life savings to Covid relief fund has died. He collapsed at his residence in Kannur and was rushed to the hospital, but he died later.

He became famous after donating Rs 2,00,850 his entire life savings to the Chief Minister’s vaccine challenge. He donated the money from the Kerala Bank main branch in Kannur and said he did not want to reveal his name. A bank employee posted about this in Facebook and it gained attention.

Janardhanan started doing the beedi work the age of 13. Later, he worked in Dinesh Beedi Company for 36 years. His wife Punnathumchal Rajani was also a beedi worker. She passed away in June 2020. Both of them received some money from the company when they left. This was paid to the relief fund. Until recently, Janardhanan used to work for a private beedi company. Janardhanan was invited for the oath taking ceremony of second Pinarayi government.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences on the demise of Janardhanan. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said that Janardhanan was a person who set an example by donating his life savings to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund during Covid.