On Tuesday morning, Amal Krishna and his mother Anisha woke up to the terrible news of Oommen Chandy’s demise.
If not for the former chief minister they would not have a roof over their heads today in Kozhikode’s Kunduparamba.
Amal and his family were devastated after his father Sujeesh died in an accident in May 2019. He was just 40.
After Sujeesh's untimely death, the mother and son were solely dependent on the income from renting out the upper floor of their house.
Amal was just 10 years old back then. Now Amal is a 10th grade student at St Joseph's School for Boys, Kozhikode.
"It is a great loss for people like us,” said Amal's grandmother (father's mother) Mallika.
“Oommen Chandy was a great human being. Because of him, my son and family have a home. To have a home to live peacefully is bigger than anything. Anisha receives a widow pension. She is suffering from various illnesses. She can't go to work. Sujeesh was also not healthy to go for work,” Mallika told Onmanorama.
She recollected the occasion when Oommen Chandy handed over the key to their home.
Distress call from Sivani
It was during the foundation laying of Government Teachers' Training Institute at Nadakkavu, Kozhikode in March 2016 that Oommen Chandy heard a distressed call from the crowd that had gathered. It was from Sivani.
She wanted to bring to his attention that her classmate Amal Krishna is homeless.
Chandy went up to her to listen to the grievance. She wanted the chief minister to build a home for her classmate.
Chandy immediately ordered the release of Rs 3 lakh from government funds to build a new house for Amal and family.
But the money was blocked amid a regime change in the state.
Chandy did not disappoint the helpless family however; with the support of some businessmen from Kozhikode, he collected Rs 3 lakh as a primary fund.
P C Tahir donated Rs 2 lakh and A Muhammed Shafi, another well wisher and businessman, donated Rs 1 lakh for the project.
Subsequently, a committee was formed by Amal's neighbours and teachers to raise the rest of the amount required.
Social activist K P Vijayakumar teamed up with Nadakkavu Lower Primary School principal T C Rosemary and teacher Babu Thathakkadan to build Amal's home.
Then minister E Chandrasekharan laid the foundation stone for the house on October 16, 2016. The two storey home near Kunduparamba school has four bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen. The construction was completed in about four months.
Oommen Chandy handed over the key and lit the lamp.
Sivani and friends were present during the occasion to share the joy and greet Chandy.
