Veteran CPM leader and former Kozhikode Mayor TP Dasan passes away at 76

Kozhikode: Veteran CPM leader and former Kozhikode Mayor T P Dasan passed away at a private hospital here on Friday night. He was 76.

Dasan, who had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments, died around 11.30 pm. He was serving as a member of the CPM Kozhikode Town Area Committee.

A native of Koyilandy and hailing from a communist family, Dasan went on to become one of the prominent CPM leaders in Kozhikode. He served as Mayor of Kozhikode Corporation from 1992 to 1994. Later, from 1996 to 2001, he served as chairman of the Town Planning Standing Committee and as leader of the LDF council party in the Corporation.

A prominent political and public figure, Dasan held several key positions during his public life. He also served as chairman and vice-chairman of the State Sports Council, director of KTDC and president of Kala, an artist collective. He also made his mark as a cooperative sector leader and sports organiser, serving as chairman of the Calicut Cooperative Urban Bank and chairman of the Kerala Urban Bank Federation.

Dasan began his political journey through the Kerala Students’ Federation (KSF), where he served as district secretary and state joint secretary. When the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) was formed in 1980, he became its first state president and later served as state secretary. A CPM member since 1967, Dasan held several important positions in the party, including district secretariat member, Kozhikode area committee member and town area secretary, playing a major role in strengthening the party in the district.

He is survived by his wife, T V Lalithaprabha, former corporation standing committee chairperson and retired cooperative deputy registrar, who is also a CPM Town Local Committee member.

Their children are Mili, an architect with ULCCS; Mini, an HR officer at Keltron, Thiruvananthapuram; and Mithun, an engineer based in the UK.