When the nation celebrated the 113{+t}{+h}birth anniversary of socialist leader and reformer Jayaprakash Narayan with various programmes on Sunday, there was a man from Kayanna who silently remembered his father who gave him an unusual name in memory of his favourite leader. His father died on March 21, 1997. But his unique name — JP Seventy Seven — still makes him special among people.
“My father T.V. Ramadas was a victim of cruelties during the Emergency period. That must have prompted him to think of a name that would reflect the mood of that age,” said Mr. Seventy Seven who was born in 1977. Though a few teachers suggested changing the name, he refused.
Since his school days, the curious name has been evoking laughter, surprise, and confusion. “Once the Kozhikode Passport Officer asked me to meet him personally to verify the name before issuing the passport,” he recalled.
“People are surprised when they hear my name for the first time. Confused, they used to ask me again and again the pronunciation and the spelling,” he said.
Mr. Seventy Seven has so far managed to retain the name in all official documents and certificates. “For the people of my locality, I am ‘Jayaprakash Kayanna.’ The original name continues to surprise our youngsters,” he added.
The legacy continues
His three siblings are Rajasree, Rajesh, and Sadasivan. “After our marriage, it took several days for my wife Vijisha to get used to the name,” he said. Carrying forward the spirit of his father, the couple has also named their two-year-old son Ram Madhav JP.
