Noted lawyer, freedom fighter and trade union leader P.M. Padmanabhan, 93, passed away at his residence near Civil Station in Kozhikode on Tuesday.
Born in 1925 at Valancheri in Malappuram district, he was involved in politics right from his student days and was one of the prominent trade union leaders in independent India. Having completed his education at Ram Mohan College, Mumbai, and University School of Economics, Mr. Padmanabhan was the general secretary of Bombay Students Congress, secretary of All India Students Congress and National Working Committee member of National Union of Students. Inspired by socialist ideologies, he formed the Glass Workers’ Union and United Depater Federation Arts Association. He was the Bombay region general secretary and central committee member of the RSP after his Revolutionary Workers Link merged with the former.
Mr. Padmanabhan was injured while taking part in the Goa independence struggle in 1955. He started practice as a lawyer in Mumbai, but shifted to Kozhikode in 1957. He was one of the noted labour law experts in Kerala.
The funeral will be held at Mavoor Road crematorium at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
