Ex-Union Minister K. P. Unnikrishnan passes away at 89

Mangalore Today News Network

Kozhikode, Mar 3, 2026: Former Union Minister K. P. Unnikrishnan passed away at the age of 89 in the early hours of Tuesday, his family confirmed.

He breathed his last while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments at a private hospital in Kozhikode.

A prominent political figure in the 1980s and 1990s, Unnikrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha six consecutive times from Vadakara. He served as Union Minister in the Cabinet of V. P. Singh, handling the portfolios of Surface Transport and Communications between 1989 and 1990. During his tenure, he supervised the evacuation of Indians stranded during the Gulf War.

Unnikrishnan began his career as a journalist and was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in 1971 as a Congress candidate. He went on to represent the constituency in 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989 and 1991.

He served as the leader of Congress (Secular) in Parliament from 1981 to 1984 and was a member of the Public Accounts Committee from 1980 to 1982.

A close associate of V. K. Krishna Menon, Unnikrishnan was once considered a trusted confidant of Indira Gandhi. However, he later parted ways with the Congress due to political differences. He remained active in Congress (U) and Congress (S) before rejoining the Congress in 1995.

Born on September 20, 1936, Unnikrishnan studied at Madras Christian College and later earned a law degree in Chennai. During his student years, he was associated with the Socialist Party and subsequently the Praja Socialist Party.

He joined the Indian National Congress in the 1960s and became a member of the All India Congress Committee in 1962.