Kerala Govt Declares Holiday For Schools, Colleges Today As Former CM Oommen Chandy Passes Away – News18

Oommen Chandy, a seasoned Congressman and a former chief minister of Kerala passed away early this morning. 79-year-old Chandy, who had been receiving treatment for cancer at a hospital in Bengaluru for several months, passed away at approximately 4.25 AM. Chandy Oommen, the former Kerala chief minister’s son, confirmed his father’s death in a Facebook post that read: “Appa has passed away.”

To pay homage to the former chief minister, the Kerala government has proclaimed Tuesday, July 18, a public holiday for all educational institutions in the state. Similarly, the state has declared two days of official mourning.

All state government offices and educational institutions, including professional colleges, will be closed on Tuesday, according to the local news outlets. Students must note that Mahatma Gandhi University has announced a holiday and cancelled all of the examinations that were originally scheduled for today July 18.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly’s longest-serving MLA, Oommen Chandy served as chief minister of Kerala for two terms. From 1970 until 2021, he was regularly elected from the Puthuppally constituency, serving 53 years as an MLA.

Oommen Chandy maintained strong connections with leaders of any and all political affiliations and was regarded as a leader of the masses and an ardent support of developmental projects such as the Kochi Metro,Vallarpadom international container transhipment terminal and the Vizhinjam International Seaport project.

Oommen Chandy’s passing away was described as the end of an era in Kerala politics by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who offered his condolences. Veteran politician and former defence minister AK Antony called Chandy’s death a loss for him personally as well as for the state’s populace.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge paid homage to Chandy on Twitter, writing that his steadfast dedication and innovative leadership made a lasting impression on Kerala’s development and the political landscape of the country.

His funeral will take place at Puthupally, his hometown. He is survived by his wife Mariyamma and their three children, Mariyam Oommen, Achu Oommen, and Chandy Oommen.