C. H. Mohammed Koya

Cheriyankandi Muhammad Koya (15 July 1927 – 28 September 1983) popularly known as C. H. Muhammad Koya was an Indian social reformer, educationist and statesman who served as the 10th Chief Minister of Kerala from October to December 1979. After his stint as chief minister, Koya went on to become the 2nd Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala from 1981 until his death in 1983. He is the first Indian Union Muslim League member to lead a state in independent India.

As the Minister of Education, Koya championed educational progress of backward classes in northern Kerala. He also served as the Home Minister (1969–73) and the Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala (1981–83). Koya floated the Muslim Students Federation, the students wing of the All-India Muslim League, in Malabar District while he was at Zamorin's College, Kozhikode and later helped to organize an admirable reception for the prominent Muslim League leader and later Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan at Kozhikode (1945).

Koya was first elected to the Kerala Assembly in the 1957 legislative elections. He went on to hold several key Kerala cabinet posts (Minister for Education, Deputy Chief Minister, Home Minister, and Minister for Finance). He served under both Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India Chief Ministers (E. M. S. Namboodiripad, C. Achutha Menon, K. Karunakaran, A. K. Antony, and P. K. Vasudevan Nair).

Koya died suddenly due to a massive hemorrhagic stroke on 28 September 1983 while serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala. He was aged just 56 at the time of his death. His death came in Hyderabad, where he had gone for a meeting of state Industrial Ministers. His dead body was flown back to Thiruvananthapuram, and later transported to his native place, where he was buried with full state honours. He was survived by his mother, wife, three children and many siblings.

Legacy

Koya was known his eloquent oratory and was described by scholar R. E. Miller as "grassroots star of the Mappila community" and the "ranking hero of Muslim youth" in Kerala. He acted as a "bridge-builder" among various social and religious groups of Kerala. Koya is remembered for his "spirited" reply to Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India when the latter publicly criticized Indian Union Muslim League as "a dead horse" at Kozhikode (1955).

As the Minister of Education, Koya championed the progress of the Mappila community in secular education. During Koya's tenure as the Minister of Education, the University of Calicut was established in northern Kerala. He also advocated higher standards in the 'Arabic Colleges'.

Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly Source: Kerala Legislative Assembly (profile) 1st Assembly (1957–59) – Tanur 2nd Assembly (1960–64) – Tanur (resigned on 6 March 1962) 3rd Assembly (1967–70) – Mankada 4th Assembly (1970–77) – Kondotty (resigned on 5 February 1973) 5th Assembly (1977–79) – Malappuram 6th Assembly (1980–82) – Manjeri 7th Assembly (1982–87) – Manjeri (died on 28 September 1983)

In Kerala council of ministers +MinistryOfficeTerm Source(s)Pattom MinistrySpeaker (independent)9 June 1961 10-October-1961 2nd E. M. S. MinistryMinister for Education6 March 1967 21 October 1969 1st Achutha Menon MinistryMinister for Home and Education 1 November 1969 1 August 1970 2nd Achutha Menon MinistryMinister for Home and Education 4 October 1970 1 March 1973 1st Karunakaran MinistryMinister for Finance and Education25 March 197725 April 1977 1st Antony MinistryMinister for Education27 April 1977 4 October 1978 (2nd) 20 December 1977 27 October 1978 (2nd) P. K. V. MinistryMinister for Education29 October 1978 7 October 1979 CH Muhammad Koya MinistryChief Minister of Kerala & Home Affairs, tourism, Public administration, education, transport, local administration, food and civil supplies, fisheries.12 October 1979 1 December 1979 2nd Karunakaran MinistryDeputy Chief Minister & Minister for Public Works 28 December 1981 17 March 1982 3rd Karunakaran MinistryDeputy Chief Minister & Minister for Public Works 24 May 1982 28 September 1983

Works Source: Kerala Legislative Assembly (profile) My Haj pilgrimage Caux-London-Cairo The Malaysia I Saw How Legislative Assembly Works Soviet Union Muslim Rule in India Through Stories Five Days in Sri Lanka Camel to Cadillac Travel Around the World

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