M. P. Veerendra Kumar was an Indian politician, writer, and journalist, who was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha, also the chairman and managing director of the Malayalam daily newspaper Mathrubhumi. He was a member of the Loktantrik Janata Dal political party and the president of the Kerala state unit of the party. He was a literary figure and a well-known politician in Kerala, he received the Sahitya Akademi award for Haimavatha Bhoovil (travelogue), in 2010.
M. P. Veerendra Kumar, Rajya Sabha Member
M. P. Veerendra Kumar: Member of Rajya Sabha
Veerendra Kumar served as a minister at both the Centre and state, he also won twice as Lok Sabha member from Kozhikode. He strengthened the JP movement in the Malabar region of Kerala. In 1987, he was elected to the Kerala Assembly from his hometown Kalpetta, till 1991 he served as an MLA. He also served as Kerala Forest Minister.
He was a Union Minister for two years and was elected to Lok Sabha two times (11th and 13th). He also served as Minister of State (MoS), for a few months in 1997 as Finance (Department of Expenditure), MoS Labour (Independent Charge), Urban Affairs & Employment (Independent Charge), and Parliamentary Affairs between 1997 June to 1998 March. in the IK Gujaral Cabinet. In-between 1992-1993, 2003-2004 and 2011-2012 He has served as Chairman of the Press Trust of India.
Not only limited in the state's politics, but he also made his footmarks on journalism too. In November 1979, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Ltd, Kerala's one of the biggest and oldest publications was going through a struggle, he took over it as Managing Director. Which has now grown into a huge media platform with its own established online ventures, newspaper editions, and visual media. He was (84) died of heart attack at a private hospital in Kozhikode on Friday 29 May 2020. He is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.
