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K. K. Shailaja

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K. K. Shailaja
Chief Whip of CPI(M) in Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 May 2021
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala
In office
25 May 2016 – 19 May 2021
Preceded byV. S. Sivakumar
Succeeded byVeena George
Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 May 2021
Preceded byE. P. Jayarajan
ConstituencyMattanur
In office
19 May 2016 – 02 May 2021
Preceded byK. P. Mohanan
Succeeded byK. P. Mohanan
ConstituencyKuthuparamba
In office
2006–2011
Preceded byA. D. Mustafa
Succeeded bySunny Joseph
ConstituencyPeravoor
In office
1996–2001
Preceded byPinarayi Vijayan
Succeeded byP. Jayarajan
ConstituencyKuthuparamba
Personal details
Born (1956-11-20) 20 November 1956 (age 68)
Mattanur, Kannur, Kerala, India
Political partyCommunist Party of India (Marxist)
Parents
  • K. Kunthan
  • K. K. Shantha
Alma mater
Awards CEU Open Society Prize (2021)

K. K. Shailaja (born 20 November 1956) is an Indian politician and former Health Minister of Kerala who hails from Kannur district.[2]

Shailaja currently serves as the MLA representing Mattanur constituency in 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly. She is a Central Committee member of Communist Party of India (Marxist).[3] Before entering active politics, she worked as a high school physics teacher. In June (2020), Shailaja was honoured by the United Nations for her efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. She was among a few of the world leaders invited to speak on the occasion of the United Nations Public Service Day. K. K. Shailaja was awarded the CEU Open Society Prize for 2021.

She was previously elected as the MLA of Kuthuparamba constituency twice in 1996 and 2016 and Peravoor constituency in 2006. She served as the Minister of Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development (Kerala) in the first Vijayan ministry (2016–21). In the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, Shailaja won the largest margin ever (over 60,000 votes) in the history of Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.[4][5][6]

Early life and Education

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KK Shailaja, born on 20 November 1956, in Mattannoor, Kannur, is the daughter of Shri K. Kundan and Smt. K. K. Shantha.[7]

Education

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She obtained her B.Sc. in Chemistry from Pazhassi Raja N. S. S. College in Mattanur. She furthered her education by earning a Bachelor of Education degree from Visvesvarayya College.[8][9]

Personal life

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Growing up in a politically active environment, she was deeply influenced by her maternal grandmother, MK Kalyani, a prominent figure known for her staunch Communist beliefs and community service in Iritty. Kalyani's dedication to public welfare, including aiding Communist leaders during the British era and assisting during disease outbreaks, left a lasting impression on Shailaja.

Raised primarily by her mother, grandmother, and aunt, Shailaja was immersed in stories of her family's involvement in leftist struggles. She heard tales of her granduncle MK Ramunny's imprisonment and subsequent demise due to custodial torture, as well as her other granduncle MK Krishnan's survival of a police shooting during a farmers' protest in 1950.

KK Shailaja married in 1981. Bhaskaran Master, K. K. Shailaja's husband, has been important in leftist groups in Kerala. He was once the district committee president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), which is part of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). During that time, Shailaja was also involved with the committee. In her early years with the DYFI, she collaborated closely with Bhaskaran Master. He supported Shailaja's political work, and his beliefs in leftist ideas have been crucial in their relationship. Before retiring, Bhaskaran Master worked as a teacher, including being the headmaster of a school in Mattannur, Kerala before retiring.[10]

Teaching career

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Before entering active politics, K. K. Shailaja worked as a full-time high school physics teacher at Sivapuram Higher Secondary School in Iritty, Kannur district, for 23 years. In 2004, she chose to take voluntary retirement and transitioned into a full-time politician.[11]

Political career

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She began her political journey by joining the Students Federation of India during her school years and later became involved with the Kerala Socialist Youth Federation, which eventually transformed into the DYFI in 1980. In her early years with the DYFI, she collaborated closely with Bhaskaran Master, whom she later married in 1981.

Over the span of nearly two decades, Shailaja steadily rose through the ranks of the DYFI and the CPIM. She also took on the role of Editor for Sthree Shabdam, the official mouthpiece of the Kerala State Unit of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), a left-oriented women's organization. In 1996, Shailaja contested for the first time in the Koothuparamba constituency.

Following her election as a ML in 1996, Shailaja Teacher took leave from her teaching profession. However, in 2004, she opted for voluntary retirement to fully commit herself to serving the people through politics. "The party wanted me to serve full-time, and therefore I had to leave teaching," she explains.

In 2006, Shailaja contested and won from the Peravoor constituency. However, in 2011, she lost the seat to Congress leader Sunny Joseph. It was her victory in the 2016 elections from Koothuparamba that paved the way for her appointment as the Health Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet.[12]

K. K. Shailaja has been elected as CPIM Central Committee Member in the 22nd Congress of the CPIM held between April 18 and 22 2018 at Hyderabad, Telangana[13] and the State Secretary of All India Democratic Women's Association.

She represented Kuthuparamba in 1996 and Peravoor in 2006, both of which are in Kannur district, in the KLA.[citation needed] Shailaja won a total of 67,013 votes in the Kuthuparamba constituency, winning by a margin of 12,291 votes. In the first Pinarayi Vijayan ministry, she was the minister of Health and Social Welfare.[citation needed]

As Health Minister, Shailaja Teacher has come to be highly regarded for her unwavering commitment and strong work ethic. As quoted from one of her colleagues in the Health Department: "She is a tough taskmaster. It doesn't matter if it's midnight or if she is having any ailments, the minister is there to monitor every arrangement. In the case of nCoV prevention and control, the minister is leading from the front by convening assessment meetings daily".[14]

Her leadership during the Nipah and COVID-19 outbreaks was widely lauded.[15][16] She had set up a team which enabled the fast diagnosis and further management of the deadly viruses. The film Virus is based on the Nipah virus outbreak in the state. In this film Revathi portrayed the character based on her.

K. K Shailaja with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

K. K. Shailaja has received international attention for her leadership in tackling COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala.[17][18][19][20][21] Till around mid-March, she gave daily press briefings. She was invited by the United Nations to participate in a panel discussion on United Nations Public Service Day 2020, for her efforts to fight COVID-19 in her state on June 23, 2020.[22][23][24] The Guardian described her as "coronavirus slayer" and "rock star health minister".[25][26] BBC News featured her among a list of Asian women corona fighters.[27] She was also featured by Vogue Magazine as a "Vogue Warrior".[28] The British magazine Prospect selected her as the world's 'top thinker' of 2020, pushing the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern to the 2nd position.[29][30][31][32] Financial Times named Shailaja as one of the world's most influential women of 2020.[33]

Her exclusion in the second Vijayan ministry, which includes all debutants except chief minister, was a subject of controversy in media outlets and in social media.[34][35]

Books

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KK Shailaja has authored three books:

  • Indian Varthamanavum Sthreesamoohavum[36]
  • China: Rashtram, Rashtreeyam, Kazhchakal[37][38]

Biography

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  • My Life as a Comrade: The Story of an Extraordinary Politician and the World That Shaped Her[39][40][41][42]

Electoral performance

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Election candidature history[43]
Election Year Party Constituency Opponent Result Margin
Loksabha 2024 CPI(M) Vatakara INC Shafi Parambil Lost 1,14,506
Kerala Legislative Assembly 1996 CPI(M) Kuthuparamba INC M. P. Krishnan Nair Won 18,993
2006 CPI(M) Peravoor INC A. D. Mustafa Won 9,099
2011 CPI(M) Peravoor INC Sunny Joseph won 3,440
2016 CPI(M) Kuthuparamba JD(U) K. P. Mohanan Won 12,291
2021 CPI(M) Mattanur RSP Illikkal Augusthy Won 60,963

Awards and honours

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In June 2020, Shailaja was honoured by the United Nations for her efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.[44] She was among a few of the world leaders invited to speak on the occasion of the United Nations Public Service Day.[45] K. K. Shailaja was awarded the Central European University (CEU) Open Society Prize for 2021, the honour was in recognition of her social commitment to public health services.[46][47]

References

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  1. ^ "Kerala Health Min KK Shailaja gets lauded for handling COVID-19 in the state: A look at her career milestones". Times Now. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ^ "K. K. Shailaja - Government of Kerala, India".
  3. ^ "Leadership". Communist Party of India (Marxist). 18 March 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ^ "'Rockstar' Health Minister Shailaja Teacher wins by largest margin in Kerala history - The Week". www.theweek.in. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  5. ^ "KK Shailaja: Not just a teacher, but a rockstar". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  6. ^ "KK Shailaja set to win with record margin, lead crosses 61,000". Mathrubhumi. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  7. ^ "K. K. SHAILAJA TEACHER" (PDF). Kerala Niyamasabha. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. ^ http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/Members-Eng/115 K K Shailaja Teacher.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  9. ^ https://www.oneindia.com/politicians/k-k-shailaja-teacher-3592.html [bare URL]
  10. ^ "The making of KK Shailaja: From school teacher to Kerala minister". 18 March 2021.
  11. ^ Rajendran, Dhanya (18 March 2021). "The making of KK Shailaja: From school teacher to Kerala minister". The News Minute. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  12. ^ "The making of KK Shailaja: From school teacher to Kerala minister". 18 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Leadership". Communist Party of India (Marxist). 18 March 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Tough mind, tender heart: How KK Shailaja is leading Kerala's coronavirus battle". 5 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  15. ^ "Coronoavirus [sic]: No need to panic, says Kerala govt; patient stable". India Today. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  16. ^ "'Couldn't afford to show fear': Kerala's health minister KK Shailaja on dealing with Nipah". The Indian Express. 21 July 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  17. ^ Masih, Niha. "Aggressive testing, contact tracing, cooked meals: How the Indian state of Kerala flattened its coronavirus curve". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  18. ^ "What the world can learn from Kerala about how to fight covid-19". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Kerala earns praise from BBC panel for efficiently handling coronavirus cases". The Week. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  20. ^ "A Nipah Warrior, Kerala Health Min is Now Fighting Coronavirus". The Quint. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  21. ^ "Kerala health minister: Attacking coronavirus, defending against barbs". gulfnews.com. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  22. ^ The Hindu Net Desk (28 June 2020). "Watch | UN honours Kerala Health Minister K.K Shailaja". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  23. ^ Scroll Staff (24 June 2020). "Coronavirus: UN honours Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja for her efforts to tackle pandemic". Scroll.in. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  24. ^ G., Rajiv (23 June 2020). "Kerala health minister honoured in UN webinar on Covid-19". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  25. ^ Spinney, Laura (14 May 2020). "The coronavirus slayer! How Kerala's rock star health minister helped save it from Covid-19". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  26. ^ "Kerala health minister invited to speak at UN event". The Week. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  27. ^ "BBC Monitoring – Essential Media Insight". monitoring.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  28. ^ "Vogue Warriors: Meet Kerala's health minister who is taking the state out of the pandemic". Vogue India. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  29. ^ "The world's top 50 thinkers 2020: the winner". Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  30. ^ "Right lady: UK magazine 'Prospect' names KK Shailaja as world's 'top thinker' for COVID-19". The New Indian Express. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  31. ^ N, Smitha (3 September 2020). "UK magazine: Kerala health minister K.K Shailaja Top Thinker 2020, Jacinda at No.2". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  32. ^ "Kerala Health Minister named 'Top Thinker of 2020' by UK magazine". The Week. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  33. ^ "Who have been the most influential women of 2020? FT readers respond". Financial Times. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  34. ^ "Amid criticisms for dropping KK Shailaja, CPI(M) defends Pinarayi's 'bold decision'". Neethu Joseph, Shiba Kurian. The NewsMinute. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  35. ^ "Kerala: K K Shailaja first casualty in Pinarayi Vijayan second wave". The Times of India. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Indian varthamanavum sthreesamoohavum". Chintha Publishers. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  37. ^ "China rashtram rashtreeyam kazhchakal". Chintha Publishers. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  38. ^ "K. K. Shailaja - Government of Kerala, India". kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  39. ^ "KK Shailaja's autobiography, "My Life as a Comrade", is a gripping tale of Kerala, communism and Covid". 12 May 2023.
  40. ^ Venugopal, Veena (5 May 2023). "Teacher to rockstar | K.K. Shailaja on her new book 'My Life as a Comrade'". The Hindu.
  41. ^ "KK Shailaja's autobiographical work titled 'My Life as a Comrade'". 8 May 2023.
  42. ^ "My Life as a Comrade: The Story of an Extraordinary Politician and the World That Shaped Her".
  43. ^ "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  44. ^ "UN Public Service Day". www.who.int. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  45. ^ The Hindu Net Desk (28 June 2020). "Watch | UN honours Kerala Health Minister K.K Shailaja". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  46. ^ "Former Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja honoured with CEU Open Society Prize". The New Indian Express. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  47. ^ "KK Shailaja bags CEU Open Society Prize". Mathrubhumi. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
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