Susheela Gopalan

Susheela Gopalan
File:SuseelaGopalan.jpg Mrs. Susheela Gopalan
Minister for Industries and Social Welfare, Kerala
In office 20 May 1996 – 13 May 2001
Constituency	Ambalappuzha
Member of Parliament
In office 1980–1984
Constituency	Alappuzha
In office 1991–1996
Constituency	Chirayinkil
Personal details
Born	(1929-12-29)29 December 1929 Muhamma, in Alappuzha, Kerala
Died	19 December 2001(2001-12-19) (aged 71) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Political party	Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Spouse(s)	A. K. Gopalan ​ ( m. 1952; died 1977)
Children	Laila Gopalan
Relatives	K. R. Gowri Amma (family member)

Susheela Gopalan (29 December 1929, at Muhamma, in Alappuzha, Kerala – 19 December 2001, at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) was an Indian Communist leader and one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). She was elected Member of Parliament thrice, from Ambalappuzha (1967), Alappuzha (1980) and Chirayinkil (1991), and was a Minister in the Government of Kerala for a number of years. Born to the famous kalari family, Cheerappanchira in Muhamma, she was educated in Alappuzha and Trivandrum and joined the Communist Party. She married A. K. Gopalan in 1952, one of the veterans of the party, who she had met during his years in hiding.

She was one of the few women who held major responsibilities in the CPI (M) structure. She was a Minister in a number of LDF cabinets in Kerala. During her last term she was the Minister for Industries and Social Welfare. She lost by one vote to E. K. Nayanar in an election for chief ministership in the state committee of CPI(M), in whose cabinet she became the Minister for Industries and Social Welfare.

Susheela and AKG

Young Susheela with her husband A K Gopalan

External links

• Condolence by the Polit-bureau
• Interview concerning Kerala's Industrial Policy
• Jeevitha Katha
• List of members of the 4th Lok Sabha#Kerala