->ScienceKeeda at 12:39, 21 October 2021

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{{short description|Indian politician, reformer, and freedom fighter}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = K Kelappan
| image = K Kelappan 1990 stamp of India.jpg
| honorific_prefix = Kerala Gandhi
| birth_name = Koyapalli Kelappan Nair
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1889|8|24}}
| birth_place = [[Muchukunnu]], [[Koyilandy]] (also known as Quilandy)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1971|10|7|1889|8|24}}
| death_place = Calicut, Kerala
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence =
| nationality = [[India]]n
| other_names = Koyapalli Kelappan Nair, Kerala Gandhi
| known_for = [[Indian independence movement]]
| education = Graduate
| alma_mater = [[University of Madras]]
| occupation = Freedom Fighter, Teacher, Editor and Founder President of [[Nair Service Society]]
| title = Kerala Gandhi
| networth =
| height =
| weight =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party = [[Indian National Congress]] <br/> [[Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party]]
| boards =
| spouse = T P Ammalu Amma
| partner =
| children = T P K Kidav
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Koyapalli Kelappan''' (24 August 1889 – 7 October 1971) was an Indian politician, independence activist, educationist and journalist. During the [[Indian independence movement]], he was the lead figure of [[Indian National Congress]] in Kerala and was popularly known as ''Kerala Gandhi''. After Indian independence, he held various seats in Gandhian organizations. He is the founding member and president of the [[Nair Service Society]] and was also the founder of Kerala Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti (Temple Protection Movement)<ref>{{cite news |title=K. Kelappan an unsung hero |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/k-kelappan-an-unsung-hero/article4053139.ece |accessdate=18 January 2017 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=1 November 2012}}</ref><ref name="Kuvalayamala">{{Cite web|last=Kuvalayamala|date=2019-12-29|title=കേളപ്പജി: ആധുനിക കേരളത്തിന്റെ പിതാവ്|url=https://medium.com/@Kuvalayamala/%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B3%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%9C%E0%B4%BF-%E0%B4%86%E0%B4%A7%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%A8%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95-%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%B3%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%A8%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B1%E0%B5%86-%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%B5%E0%B5%8D-3938ad8509b3|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=കേരള ക്ഷേത്ര സംരക്ഷണ സമിതി: Kerala Kshetra Samrakshana Samithi|url=https://keralakssamithi.blogspot.com/2019/09/kerala-kshetra-samrakshana-samithi_2.html|access-date=2021-04-23|website=കേരള ക്ഷേത്ര സംരക്ഷണ സമിതി}}</ref>

==Early life==
Kelappan was born in the small village of [[Muchukunnu]] at [[Koyilandy]] in [[Kozhikode|Calicut]], Kerala.<ref name="FreeIndia"/>

He studied in Calicut and [[Chennai|Madras]] and graduated from the [[University of Madras]] before starting his career as a teacher at St. Berchmans High School, [[Changanassery]]. Kelappan was the founding President of the [[Nair Service Society]] and later became the principal of a school run by the society.<ref name="FreeIndia"/>

==As reformer==
He fought for social reforms on one hand and the British on the other. He fought relentlessly against untouchability and caste-based discrimination.<ref>{{cite book |author=K. P. K. Menon |title=The History of Freedom Movement in Kerala: (1885-1938) / by P.K.K. Menon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cda8mAEACAAJ |year=1972 |publisher=Government Press |page=116}}</ref> Along with [[K. Kumar]], he became the earliest in Kerala to remove the suffix to his name that implied caste-status.<ref>K. Kumarji Smaraka Grantham - 1974 - (K. C Pillai)</ref> He was called Kerala Gandhi.<ref name="FreeIndia">{{cite web |url=http://www.freeindia.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=516 |title=Freeindia > Biographies > Freedom Fighters > K. Kelappan |work=Freeindia.org |publisher=Sh. Kelappan Centenary State Committee Kerala |accessdate=1 February 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030422105214/http://www.freeindia.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=516 |archivedate=22 April 2003}}</ref>

Kelappan laboured incessantly for the equality of all sections of the people. He was a major influence on the [[Vaikom Satyagraha]] movement and later led the [[Guruvayur Satyagraha]] in 1932. During Gandhi's visit to Travancore to commemorate the [[Temple Entry Proclamation]], he seconded the most critical resolution re-establishing faith in Gandhiji's leadership and the forward steps to be taken in conformity with the Gandhian approach to translate the spirit of the move for social equality. The resolution was presented by [[K. Kumar]] of Travancore, a veteran reformer and one of the leaders of the Vaikom Satyagraha who later came be forgotten by people and historians<ref>Vaikom Satyagraha Rekhakal - (Prof P C Menon and Adv. P K Harikumar) Pages 353, 299, 160, 217,298 etc</ref>

==Role post independence==
After [[Independence of India|independence]] he left the Congress Party and joined the [[Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party]] and was elected to [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] from the [[Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ponnani Lok Sabha seat]] in 1952. At the end of his term, he left active politics and became a Sarvodaya worker and was actively associated with Bhoodan Movement in Kerala.<ref>{{cite web |title=SOME PROMINENT LEADERS OF THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN KERALA |url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/fe0898/f0308982.html |accessdate=26 February 2013}}</ref>

Kelappan helped in starting ''[[Mathrubhoomi]]'' and was its editor for a number of years. He worked for unification of Kerala into a new linguistic state. He was also the president of many Gandhian organizations in Kerala including Kerala Sarvodaya Sangh, Kerala Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Kerala Sarvodaya Mandal and Gandhi Peace Foundation, Calicut.

Towards the end of his life Kelappan was also involved in opposition against communal-based politics of his state. Like many others, he opposed the formation of Muslim-majority [[Malappuram District]] in Kerala by the [[E. M. S. Namboodiripad|E.M.S Namboothiripadu]]-led-Left Government, arguing that it will create a 'mini Pakistan'.

His last big involvement was in the 'Tali Temple Movement'. Locals at [[Angadipuram|Angadippuram]] in Malappuram who were trying to peacefully rebuild a Hindu Temple destroyed by [[Tipu Sultan|Tipu's]] forces in 18th century were harassed by extremist religious elements, asserting that a Mosque was nearby the destroyed site. Then Left Government was also apathetic to the local Hindu cause. Kelappan himself entered into the struggle and led a '[[Satyagraha|Satygaraha]]' for the reconstruction of the Temple. Despite several attempts by the Government and police to stop the protests, Kelappan's satyagaraha won and the Hindus were allowed to build their temple. But before its completion, K.Kelappan passed away on October 7, 1971. The Temple built with his support stands alongside the Mosque, symbolizing the present harmony among different communities.<ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Ramji |date=7 December 1968 |url=http://www.frontierweekly.com/archive/vol-number/vol/vol-1/vol-1-issues/1_35_7december1968.pdf |title=A Mini-Pakistan? |magazine=Frontier Weekly |editor=Samar Sen |editor-link=Samar Sen |location=Calcutta |pages=8–9}}</ref><ref name="Kuvalayamala"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=തളി ക്ഷേത്ര സമരനായിക യശോദാമാധവൻ അന്തരിച്ചു|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/print-edition/kerala/article-1.2962696|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Mathrubhumi|language=en}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
In his honour [[India Post]] released a [[Commemorative stamp]] in 1990.<ref name=IndianPost>[http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/K/K.KELAPPAN- K. Kelappan Commemorative Stamp]. Indianpost.com. Retrieved on 6 December 2018.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koyapalli Kelappan}}
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:1st Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:Indian civil rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Kerala]]
[[Category:Malayali politicians]]
[[Category:People from Kozhikode district]]
[[Category:University of Madras alumni]]

K. Kelappan - Revision history

->ScienceKeeda at 12:39, 21 October 2021