Mandakini Narayanan

Mandakini Narayanan (died December 16, 2006), popularly known as ‘Ma’, was an Indian Naxalite leader in Kerala. Born in Gujarat, she married the late Naxal leader Kunnikkal Narayanan. She herself was one of the front-runners of the naxalite movement in Kerala, a prominent state in India.

Mandakini was born to a Gujarati couple, Navin Chandra Osa and Urvashi Osa. She worked with the undivided Communist Party while studying in Mumbai.

Mandakini, along with her husband and daughter, led several agitations waged by naxalites in Kerala. She was arrested and sent to jail in the Pulpally and Thalassery police stations attack cases, which resulted in death of two police officials. She received a sentence of two and a half years during the emergency and was subjected to severe police excesses.

Mandakini died on December 16, 2006, at the age of 82.

Mandakini is survived by her daughter K. Ajitha, naxalite-turned human rights activist and social reformist. Ajitha now championing the cause of women-rights and fight against social evils and corruption through an organization named ANWESHI.

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