Former Minister and senior Congress leader A. Sujanapal passed away here on Thursday in a private hospital. He was 62. According to hospital sources, he was under treatment for cancer. Mr. Sujanapal is survived by wife and two children.
Born on February 1, 1949 in Kozhikode as the son of freedom fighter A. Balagopal and Anandalakshmi, Mr. Sujanapal held many organisational posts in Congress. He had served the Congress as President of Kozhikode District Congress Committee (DCC) and was the General Secretary and Treasurer of Kerala
Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at different times.
Mr. Sujanapal was elected to the Ninth Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1991, contesting from Kozhikode and the 11th State Assembly in 2001, representing the same electorate. He had also served as Chairman in the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions during 2001-05.
Mr.Sujanapal became the Minister for Forests and Environment in the State ministry headed by Oommen Chandy from January 4, 2006. He was also a KPCC member and President of several cultural organisations like S.K Pottekkad Memorial Cultural Centre, Calicut and Calicut Arts Society.
Besides making a mark in politics, Mr. Sujanapal had also won wide appreciation as an author with his books based on his visits to foreign countries and for his efforts to conserve mangrove vegetations.
