Centenarian freedom fighter K P Madan Master no more

Mangalore Today News Network

Kasargod, Mar 28, 2017 : Veteran freedom fighter K P Madan Master who had celebrated his birth centenary recently passed away at his residence at Perla  on March 28, Tuesday.

Madan Master who hailed from Perla  in Kasargod District, Madan Master was a man of many facets. He was not only a freedom fighter, but also a progressive farmer, a teacher and above all a friend, philosopher and guide to many.

Madan Master who was married at an early age, joined the St Aloysius College later on to pursue his degree course. It was during this time that he was deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and joined the freedom struggle in true patriotic spirit. Madan Master also got an opportunity once to meet the Mahatma and interact with him. He had actively participated in the Quit India Movement and this is said to be the greatest turning point in his life.

During the course of freedom struggle Madan Master participated in several protests held in different places of Mangaluru. There were times when arrest warrants were also issued against him.  In order to evade arrest and to pursue education he left Mangaluru and  had remained underground for some time in Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu. There he learnt the Morse Code Course which was useful in sending telegram in those days. He then duly secured a job in the Railways  and served as Assistant Traffic Operator for several years in Bengaluru, Jalandhar, then Madras, Mettupalyam, Kodaikanal and other places.

After India attained Independence he returned home town and ventured into farming and cultivated paddy, sugarcane, arecanut, pepper and cashew.

In due course of time when the Satyanarayana School at Perla  was upgraded and it needed a Physical Instructor, Madan Master  left for   Madras where he underwent Physical Education Training at YMCA. Upon completion of training he served the Perla School as an English teacher and as Physical Instructor for 19  years  before resigning in favour of his own disciple who eventually became  a teacher.

A honest man that he was, he had even written to the government that he did not need pension as he had sufficient   income from farming.

Madan Master  who had great concern for the poor, downtrodden and the neglected sections of the society  has  strived hard along with Abbas Master of Enmakaje  to eradicate untouchability and to  work towards the education of Koragas  and Dalits.

When the first Communist Government assumed office in Kerala upon independence, he  had taken the initiative in constructing houses for the Koraga tribals living in  forest areas. He had also  strived to a great extent to help the tiller become  the owner of the Land under Land Reforms Act.

A humble man who always wore Khadi and led  a simple life,  Madan Master was  a man greatly revered by the then Kerala Chief Minister  E S Namboodirippad who himself used to visit Perla to meet him.  

Madan Master had never craved for power. Though both the CPI and the CPI(M) had offered  Madan Master tickets to contest assembly elections, he instead chose to  propose the name of his friend Ramanna Rai who was then in prison during emergency, and later ensured he became an MLA.

Though he was elected unopposed to Enmakaje Gram Panchayat several times and even won several elections vested interests had disallowed him from heading the Panchayat.  Madan Master had also played an instrumental role in rejuvenating and upgrading the Perla Co-operative Society into a Bank.

A  simple, humble and unassuming personality that he was,  Madan Master had been an inspiration and guiding light to many.