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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Cherian J. Kappan
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1911|3|26}}
| birth_place = [[Pala, Kottayam]]
| death_date = {{death year and age|1982|1911}}
| death_cause =
| alma_mater =
| office = Member of Parliament for [[Muvattupuzha (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muvattupuzha]]
| term_start = 1962
| term_end = 1967
| predecessor = [[George Thomas Kottukapally]]
| successor = P. P. Esthose
| office1 = Member of the [[Travancore–Cochin]] Legislative Assembly
| majority =
| term_start1 = 1952
| term_end1 = 1954
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| office2 = Member of the [[Travancore State]] Legislature
| term_start2 = 1948
| term_end2 = 1951
| occupation = Member of Parliament, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Advocate
| parents = Eapen<br>Thresiamma
| spouse =
| children = 10 including [[Mani C. Kappan]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
}}
'''Cherian J. Kappan''' (also spelled as Kappen) was a Freedom fighter, [[Indian National Congress]] leader, Member of the [[Travancore–Cochin]] Legislative Assembly and [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament]] from [[Kerala]], India. He was a member of Travancore State Legislature from 1948 to 1951 and [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|M.L.A.]] in Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly from 1952 to 1954. Kappan represented [[Ramapuram, Kottayam|Ramapuram]] constituency as a [[Congress Parliamentary Party]] candidate in Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly. He represented [[Muvattupuzha (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muvattupuzha]] constituency in third [[Lok Sabha]] (1962–67). He was the first chairman of the Pala Municipality.

==Biography==
Cherian J. Kappan was born on March 26, 1911, at [[Pala, Kerala|Pala]], [[Kottayam district]] to Eapen and Thresiamma.<ref name="loksabha">{{cite web |title=Members Bioprofile- Cherian J. Kappen |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1507.htm |website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}</ref> After his primary education from St. Thomas E. H. School, Palai, he done his graduation from St. Joseph's College, Trichi and St. Thomas College, Trichur.<ref name="loksabha"/>

After graduating from the Thiruvananthapuram Law College, Kappan started practicing as an advocate in courts in Kottayam and Pala.<ref name="deepanalam">{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Dr. Syriac |title=ചെറിയാന്‍ ജെ. കാപ്പന്‍ നിര്‍ഭയനായ നേതാവ് |url=http://www.deepanalam.org/read_article.php?article_id=303 |language=en|work=Deepanalam Weekly|date=3 September 2020}}</ref> At first he worked jointly with P. T. Chacko, but soon became an independent lawyer.<ref name="deepanalam"/> Due to severe financial pressure, Kappan shifted his legal practice to [[Kozhikode]], but soon returned to Pala.<ref name="deepanalam"/>

As an activist in [[Indian independence movement]], Kappan was imprisoned for {{frac|3|1|2}} years.<ref name="nana">{{cite web |title=അന്നും ഇന്നും ഞാന്‍ ഭാഗ്യവതിയാണ് - ആലീസ് മാണി സി. കാപ്പന്‍ |url=https://nanaonline.in/tag/mani-c-kappan/ |website=Nanaonline}}</ref> Kappan also made strong speeches against Diwan [[C. P. Ramaswami Iyer|Sir CP]]'s idea of ''independent Travancore'', instead of being part of the [[Government of India|Indian Union]].<ref name="deepanalam"/>

Cherian J. Kappan died in 1982.

==Political career==
Initially, Cherian J. Kappan's public activity was limited to the communal and social spheres. But he soon gained wide public attention as he spearheaded the agitation against [[C. P. Ramaswami Iyer|Sir CP]]'s education policies.<ref name="deepanalam"/> Subsequently, he became active in the State Congress movement.<ref name="deepanalam"/> He was arrested and imprisoned several times after gaining the [[Diwan (title)|Diwan]]'s displeasure.<ref name="deepanalam"/>

Kappan was a member of Travancore State Legislature from 1948 to 1951.<ref name="loksabha"/> From 1951 to 1954 he was [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|M.L.A.]] in Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly.<ref name="loksabha"/> Kappan represented Ramapuram constituency as a [[Congress Parliamentary Party]] candidate in the Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly.<ref name="loksabha"/> He represented [[Muvattupuzha (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muvattupuzha]] constituency in third [[Lok Sabha]].<ref name="loksabha"/> He was the first chairman of the Pala [[Nagarasabha]].<ref name="Deshabhimani">{{cite news |title=സ്‌റ്റേഡിയം ചെറിയാൻ ജെ കാപ്പന്‌; ട്രാക്ക്‌ മാണിക്ക്‌ |url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/news/kerala/news-kottayamkerala-06-08-2019/814991 |work=Deshabhimani |language=ml}}</ref> He held several other positions including District Congress Committee President, President of Dist. Coperative Bank, Kottayam, executive committee member of State Cooperative Bank, president of Pepper Marketing Cooperative Society, Pala, president of Meenachil Taluka Library Union and Vice president of Catholica Congress.<ref name="loksabha"/><ref>{{cite news |title=പിതാവ് ചെറിയാൻ ജെ കാപ്പനെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഓർമ്മകളുമായി മാണി സി കാപ്പൻ |url=https://www.meenachilnews.com/2020/06/blog-post_25.html}}</ref>

The Kappan family is the main political rival of [[K. M. Mani]]'s family in Pala.<ref name="Asianet">{{cite news |title='മാണിമാരും കാപ്പന്മാരും'; ഒരു രാഷ്ട്രീയപ്പോരിന്‍റെ കഥ |url=https://www.asianetnews.com/kerala-news/km-mani-and-kappan-family-story-of-political-rivalry-px3v7y |work=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd |date=31 August 2019 |language=ml}}</ref> Mani and the Kappan family were not opposed at first. Mani started his practice as a lawyer as a junior to Cherian.<ref name="Asianet"/> But when Cherian testified against Mani in an election case, the two fell out.<ref name="Asianet"/> The Kappan family and Mani became politically opposed. Mani's first opponent from the Kappan family was Cherian's son George, who fought against him in [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]] election in 1991.<ref name="Asianet"/> Cherian's other son [[Mani C. Kappan]] fought against K. M. Mani in 2006, 2011 and 2016 Legislative Assembly elections, but lost in all.<ref name="Manorama">{{cite news |title=ഒരു വ്യാഴവട്ടക്കാലത്തെ കഠിനാധ്വാനം, ഒടുവിൽ ചരിത്ര വിജയം; പാലാ പിടിച്ച കാപ്പൻ തന്ത്രം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/latest-news/2019/09/27/pala-assembly-byelection-historical-victory-for-mani-c-kappan-profile-story.html |work=ManoramaOnline |date=18 September 2020 |language=ml}}</ref> Mani C. Kappan defeated [[Kerala Congress (M)]] leader and K. M. Mani's son [[Jose K. Mani]] in the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kerala: Mani C. Kappan defeats Jose K. Mani by 13,000 votes in Pala |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/05/02/kerala-mani-c-kappan-defeats-jose-k-mani-by-13000-votes-in-pala.html |work=The Week |language=en}}</ref>

==Honors==
Cherian J. Kappan Memorial Municipal Stadium in Pala is named after him.<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite news |title=സ്റ്റേഡിയം; വിടപറഞ്ഞ നേതാക്കളുടെ പേരിൽ പോര് |url=https://archives.mathrubhumi.com/kottayam/news/pala-1.4007931 |work=Mathrubhumi |language=ml}}</ref> The stadium was given the name when the industrial training center in the municipality named after Kappan was closed.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kappan, Cherian J.}}
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Kerala]]
[[Category:1911 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Pala, Kerala]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kottayam district]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Kerala]]
[[Category:India MPs 1962–1967]]
[[Category:Travancore–Cochin MLAs 1952–1954]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kottayam]]

Cherian J. Kappan - Revision history

Swertvver at 02:37, 19 April 2026