"DECEMBER"IN KERALA HISTORY

Archive(Click the month below)

1956 DECEMBER 29

(Image: Annual Convention of Karshaka Sanhom held at Thrissur in May 2013 is being inaugurated)Kerala Karshaka Sanghom, a new farmers’ organization formed at a joint convention of Thiru-Kochi Karshaka Sangham and Malabar Karsha Sanham held at Thrissur.

1960 DECEMBER 18

Kesari A Balakrishna Pailli passed away. Born in 1889, Kesari Balakrishna Pillai was a bold journalist and the pioneer of an era in Malayalam literature

1961 DECEMBER 29

(Image: Front gate of Thirur Thunchan Parambu)

Laid foundation stone of Thunchan Memorial at Thirur by the Chief Minister of Kerala. Thirur is the birthplace of the 16th century poet Thunchan Ramanujan Ezhuthchan, who is considered to be the father of the Malayalam language. Now, there is a research centre, cottages for writers, an auditorium, and a literary museum. It is also a Manuscript Resource centre of the National Manuscript Mission. Thirur will be the headquarters of the proposed Malayalam University. On November 1, 2012 Thunchathu Ramanujan Malayalam University was inaugurated here. 

1963 DECEMBER 10

Sardar K.M.Panicker passed away. Born on June 3, 1895, Sardar Panicker was a scholar, journalist, historian, diplomat and administrator.

1964 DECEMBER 08

Muslim Education Society (MES) founded. It is the biggest educational agency of the Muslim community in India with objective of educational social and cultural up lift of the community.

1966 DECEMBER 22

Former Defense Minister V.K.Krishna Menon (1896 – 1974) resigned from the Indian National Congress.

1976 DECMBER 17

C.N.Sreekantan Nair, Veteran playwright passed away

1976 DECEMBER 22

Idukki Wild Life Sanctury opened. Apart from various species of  birds and snakes, elephants, bison, sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tiger, wild boar etc. are seen in the sanctuary having an area of 77 Sq.km.

1978 DECEMBER 26

Iravikulam declared as the first National Park of Kerala. The main part of the park consists of a high rolling hill plateau with a base elevation of about 2,000 m.  Anamudi (2695 m), the highest peak south of Himalayas is in this park.

1979DECEMBER 01

Ministry led by C.H.Mohammed Koya resigned. Consequentially, Governor of Kerala dissolved Kerala Legislative Assembly

1981 DECEMBER 28

Coalition ministry led by C.Achutha Menon sworn in. The Ministry was in office from 1st November 1969 to 1st August 1970.Eight member cabinet led by K.Karunakaran sown in. He continued in office till 17th March 1982. On 17th March he had resigned following withdrawal of a member and thereby lost his majority in the assembly.

1982 DECEMBER 30

Communal riots at Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram. Many shops at the Chalai Bazar of Thiruvananthapuram were looted and set to fire. Government sought for military aid to control riots

1985 DECEMBER 22

Renowned Malayalam poet Vyloppilly Sreedhara Menon passed away. He is considered by literary historians as one of the major voices in Malayalam poetry who marked the transition from the Romantic to the modern  era. Kannikoythu, Sreerekha, Onappatukar, Makarakoythu, Vithum Kaikkottum, Vida, Kaipavallari, Kuruvikal, Kudiyozhikkal are some of his major works. He won many awards including Odakkuzhal Award and Sahithya Academy Award

1988 DECEMBER 27

13th Party Congress of Communist Party of India (Marxist) held at Thiruvananthapuram. The party congress concluded on Januvary 01, 1989

1989 DECEMBER 26

Cartoonist Sankar (Kesava Shankara Pillai born on 31 July 1902) passed away. He was one of the illustrious political cartoonist and founder of well-known Sankar’s Weekly.

1990 DECEMBER 20

B. Rachayya sworn in as the Governor of Kerala. He was in office till November 9, 1995

1991 DECEMBER 01

Foundation stone of Sri Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit was laid on at Kaladi, the birth place of Adi Sankaracharya, the great spiritual leader and philosopher who consolidated the doctrin of Advaitha Vedantha

1992 DECEMBER 08
Thoppil Bhasi (Thoppil Bhaskara Pillai) (born on 1924 April 8) passed away. He was Malayalam playwright and film director, leader of Communist Party and one of the founders of K.P.A.C.
1992 DECEMBER 09
K.R.Gouri Amma, veteran political leader and former Minister expelled from the Communist Party of India (Marxist). She was a Minister in the communist-led Ministries in Kerala in 1957, 1967, 1980, and 1987. Consequent on her expulsion from the CPI (M), she found a new political party named Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithy (JSS) and became a Minister in the Congress-led Cabinet from 2001 to 2006.
1995 DECEMBER 07
Poetess Balamany Amma won Saraswathy Samman, the highest award for literature in India. She was a prolific writer and was known as the Poetess of Motherhood. Amma , Muthassi, Mazhuvinte Katha were some of her famous works. She was also a recipient of many other awards and honors, including Padma Bhushan,  Sahitya Akademi Award, and Ezhuthachan Award. She was the mother of the renowned writer Madhavikutty (Kamala Surayya).
1997 DECEMBER 06

Bomb explosion at Thrissur Railway Station. Three died and 60 injured at the incident.  

2002 DECEMBER 21
Seven digit telephone numbers came into existence in Kerala
2004 DECEMBER 24
Largest Tsunami in Indian Ocean. Tidal waves that hit Kerala affected 219 coastal villages. Tsunami waves claimed 236 lives. 2458 persons injured and 13640 houses destroyed. .
2007 DECEMBER 03
KELTEC of Thiruvananthapuram handed over to BrahMos Aero Space Ltd.
2008 DECEMBER 04
Nine school children died in a Jeep accident at Irikkur in Kannur district.Image: Representatives of people and natives paying homage to the deceased children.
2008 DECEMBER 11
Literary critic K.P.Appan passed away.Born in Alappuzha in 1936, he worked as a Professor of Malayalam literature and wonKendra Sahithya Academy award.
2009 DECEMBER 31

Gas tanker lorry accident at Karunagapally claimed seven lives

2010 DECEMBER 17

Image: V.S.Achuthanandan, Chief Minister lighting traditional lamp after laying foundation stone

Laid Foundation Stone of Kannur Airport

2011 DECEMBER 31
Government imposed ban on the sale of Sikkim State Government’s lottery tickets in Kerala
2012 DECEMBER 19
Kerala has been declared as drought affected state by the State Disaster Management Authority.  The state witnessed unprecedented drought this year due to shortage of rainfall of two monsoon seasons.
2013 DECEMBER 16
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Head of Travancore royal family which ruled Travancore before Independence, passed away.
2014 DECEMBER 04

Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer breathed his last.  He was law minister in the first Communist government led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad in 1957. He served as a judge both in the high court and in the Supreme Court. He had celebrated his 100th birthday on 2014 November 15.

2015 DECEMBER 05

Launched work of India’s first Mega Transshipment Container Terminal at Vizhinjam. The project to be developed under Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode is expected to turn Vizhinjam into a new economic gateway in the South by attracting containers transshipped through foreign ports. The contract for port operations was awarded to the Adani group for a period of 60 years.  The first phase of the project is expected to be commissioned in 1,000 days.

Image: Kerala  Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Nitin Gadkari, Central Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping and Gautham Adani, Chairman of Adani Group are breaking coconut as a part of inaugural function
2019 DECEMBER 01

Kerala Government has decided to expand the helmet rule for pillion riders also with effect from 1st December 2019. This was as per the amendment to the helmet rules made by the Central Government

2019 DECEMBER 06

Kerala Bank formed by merging district co-operative banks with the Kerala State Co-operative Bank.  It is claimed that the goals behind the concept of Kerala Bank included providing loans to common people at lower interest rates, making investments by Malayalis possible and creating a banking system which enables people’s intervention in state’s social issues Kerala bank will have 825 branches throughout Kerala.  The Reserve Bank of India accorded its approval for functioning from 1st November 2020.

2020 DECEMBER 12

U.A.Khder, veteran novelist and short story writer passed away. Born on 16th November 1935 at Rangoon, his father was a native of Quilandy in Kerala who migrated to Burma. His mother was Mamaid, a Burmese origin who died after three years of Khader’s birth.  When II World War was outbroken, his father returned to Kerala with Khader. A recipient of Kerala Sahithya Academi Award, Khader has written many novels and short stories focused on North Malabar rural life.

2020 DECEMBER 13

R Heli passed away. He was an Agricultural scientist and former director of agriculture. As a pioneer of farm journalism in Kerala, he contributed a lot to promote agriculture through ‘Kerala Karshakan’, the mouthpiece of the agriculture department and implemented many practical guidelines in the agriculture. It was he who produced ‘Nattinppuram’ programme in Doordarshan and ‘Vayalum Veedum’ in Akashvani

2020 DECEMBER 16

Results of elections to Local Self Governments in Kerala declared. Elections to 941 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 86 Municipalities and 06 Municipal Corporations were held in three stages. Left Democratic Front won 577 Grama Panchayats, 92 Block Panchayats, 11 Distrcit Panchayats, 43 Municipalities and 5 Municipal Corporations. United Democratic Front led by Congress (I) won 347 Grama Panchayats, 60 Block Panchayats, 03 Distrcit Panchayats, 41 Municipalities and one Municipal Corporation. The B.J.P. led National Democratic Alliance won 12 Grama Panchayats and two Municipalities.

2020 DECEMBER 23

Sugatha Kumari , renwoed Malayalam poet, conservationist and women’s rights activist passed away. She was known for her unique poems filled with empathy, human sensitivity and philosophical quest. She fought against the injustices against women and indiscriminate exploitation of nature. She led the famous campaign against the Silent Valley Project of Western Ghats and many other agitations for environmental causes including the construction of airport at Aranmula.