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| Dr.M.Kunjaman, Professor, Kerala University, Kariyavattam, Thiruvananthapuram |
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Not many would be happy to recount their childhood days of abject poverty. But Dr.M.Kunjaman, economist and Professor at Kerala University, has no hesitation to bare the incident about fighting with street dogs for crumbs of leftover from the landlord’s house.
His concerns, therefore are with the living conditions of the marginal and the poor. A majority of the 5 books and 100 odd papers he has authored, deal with these people. It was when he felt that being a member of the UGC was robbing him of quality time to do research work that he resigned from the 10-member body.
Born to a poor farmer-tenant Ayyappan and his wife Cherona in Vadanakkurissy in Palakkad, his childhood was a constant struggle to keep hunger at bay. In fact he says he went to the primary school not for the feast of knowledge but the porridge of magnanimity that the well-to-do used to arrange for the students at noon.
After getting through SSLC with worthy marks, he came to join Victoria College, Palakkad with one 'mudu' and shirt gifted by friends. With Government providing food for students of backward communities, he was at last able to concentrate on his studies.
With a firm determination to overcome his condition, he studied hard and became the 1st rank holder in M.A examinations. Later he did reseach at Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram before joining as faculty at Kerala University. The 1st literate person from his family, he now lives at Sreekariyam with his wife Dr.Rohini and children Anjana and Anila.
Courtesy: Sanu George Thomas, Malayala Manorama, January 17, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
