Oommen Chandy
The Peoples Chief Minister
Here's a time line of Shri.Oommen Chandy:
- 1943 - Born in Kumarakom, Kottayam district
- 1960 - Oommen Chandy, known as "Kunjunj" among his close ones ventured into the political arena as an activist of Kerala's largest student organization Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Indian National Congress party. He was the unit president of the KSU at St. George High School
- 1967 - Started his political career through the Kerala Students Union (KSU), in which he served as president from 1967 to 1969.
- 1970 - Elected as the president of the State Youth Congress.
- 1971 - Represented the Puthuppally constituency ever since for five decades, having been elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021.
- 1977 - Served as minister in the Government of Kerala on four occasions. He was the minister for Labour from 11 April 1977 to 25 April 1977 in the first K. Karunakaran ministry and continued holding the same portfolio in the succeeding first A. K. Antony ministry until 27 October 1978. He was in the charge of Home Portfolio in the second K. Karunakaran ministry from 28 December 1981 to 17 March 1982. He was sworn in again as a minister in the fourth K. Karunakaran ministry on 2 July 1991. He was in charge of the Finance Portfolio.
- 2004 - First term as Chief Minister of Kerala. Oommen Chandy first took charge as chief minister on 31 August 2004 and adopted the motto "Athivegam Bahudooram" (Fast and far). Sanctioning of unemployment allowance, and welfare measures for labourers were some of the measures introduced by his government. Attended the 35th World Economic Forum held at Davos, Switzerland, in 2006.
- 2006 - The leader of opposition in the twelfth Kerala Legislative Assembly. Under his leadership, UDF marked victories in Lok Sabha Election 2009, gaining 16 out of 20 parliament constituencies in Kerala.
- 2011 - Second term as Chief Minister.The Second Oommen Chandy ministry adopted the motto "Vikasanavum Karuthalum" (Development and Care). Oommen Chandy's regime was instrumental in beginning the construction of several massive infrastructure projects as well as some human-welfare schemes in Kerala which included the Kannur International Airport in Kannur, the Kochi Metro at Kochi, the Vizhinjam International Seaport at Thiruvananthapuram, and the Smart City project.The Karunya benevolent scheme was implemented in 2011–2012.
- 2013 - He recieved the United Nation's Public Service Award for his Mass Contact Programme "Jana Samparkka Paripadi", for hearing and solving the complaints of citizens.
- 2023 - Demised at Chinmaya Mission Hospital at Bengaluru on 18 July at the age of 79
"A humble and dedicated leader who devoted his life to public service and worked towards the progress of Kerala."
-- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi