Kerala

CPI (M) leader Simon Britto, an inspiration to many, passes away

Written by : TNM Staff

CPI (M) leader Simon Britto passed away on Monday at around 6.30 pm at a private hospital in Thrissur. He was 64. 

According to preliminary information, he died of a cardiac arrest. Though he lives in Kochi, Britto was in Thrissur to attend a public function. Simon Britto Rodrigues known as Britto has always been regarded as a symbol of resilience and survival by many Keralites. He was paralysed in 1983 after he was stabbed by workers of the Kerala Students Union (KSU- students' wing of the Congress. 

Britto was then a leader of the Students Federation of India (SFI) - students' wing of the CPI (M) at the Government Law College in Ernakulam and was stabbed as a fallout of the enemity between the two groups. Since then Britto has used a wheelchair to move around, but he never gave up on his fight. He continued to be active in politics and in the literary space. Simon also had an active presence in public life.

He is survived by wife Seena Bhaskar and a daughter. 

He was the nominated representative of the Anglo Indian community in the 12th Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011. When 20-year SFI leader Abhimanyu was killed at the same campus, Britto and Seena were in shock as the youth had been close to the couple.  In 2017 Britto, had travelled extensively throughout the country for around four and half months, surprising and inspiring many.

Britto is the son of Nicolas Rodriguez and Irin Rodriguez. He was born in 1954 March 27 at Ponjikkara in Ernakulum. As a leader of the SFI, he held various posts including that of the state Vice-President. He was also the state representative of Kerala Grandhasala Sangham- Library group- and secretary of Kerala University Student Council.

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