Bharati Udayabhanu

Bharati Udayabhanu was an Indian politician and author from the state of Kerala. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms.

Her book depicting her transition from a housewife to a Parliamentarian, Aṭukkaḷayilninnȧ pārlimenr̲ileykkȧ, was critically acclaimed.

She was married to the Indian National Congress leader and celebrated Malayalam author A. P. Udayabhanu.

Early life

Bharati was born to Varanappallil Kochu Pillai Panikkar and Komelezhathu Kochu Chekothi in the year 1915. She hailed from the famous Ezhava family, Komalezhathu from Mavelikkara, Alapuzha district, Kerala.[1]

After her schooling in local institutions, she joined the Madras university for graduation. She stood second in the University for the BA examination. During her university days, she met her future husband, fell in love and the couple married when both of them were hardly twenty.[1][2]

Politics

Bharati was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament from Kerala for the first time in 1954. During her tenure, she actively defended Kerala's interests in the States Reorganisation in 1957. She was subsequently re-elected for a second term and remained a member till 1964. She was the second woman to be elected a Member of the Parliament from the reorganized state of Kerala.[3]

Literature

Bharati authored a two-part memoir of her time in Parliament, Adukkalyil Ninnu Parliamentilekku, ( Form Kitchen to Parliament), which was critically acclaimed. The first part of the book won her the Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1961. Her biography of Jawaharlal Nehru, Ormakalile Nehru, a collection of her memoirs on the former Indian Prime Minister too received wide acclaim.[1][4][5]

Personal life

She was married to the noted Politician, Author, Journalist, and Gandhian A. P. Udhayabhanu. The couple had 5 children.[4]

Death

Bharati Udayabhanu passed away at her residence in Trivandrum in April 1983 due to a cardiac arrest.[1]

Published works
  1. Adukkalayil ninnu Parlimentilekku( 2 Volumes)
  2. Ormakalile Nehru
  3. Roopantharangal

References
  1. G kamalamma (2006). Ezhava Samudayathile Maharathanmar. Trivandrum: S Satheesan. pp. Bharati Udayabhanu page 650.
  2. "A home of Politics and Friendship". The Hindu. 22 July 2016.
  3. Anand, Shilpa Nair (22 July 2016). "The house where A.P. Udayabhanu lived". The Hindu.
  4. Udayabhanu (1998). Ente kadhayum Alpam. Kottayam: DC Books. p. 125. ISBN 81-7130-839-2.
  5. Viswavigyana Kosam. Kottayam: Sahitya Pravarthaka sahakarana sangam. April 1970. p. 582.
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