A Shift from the Left

An active part of the freedom struggle who wrote insightful books on Communism and then made a shift to the Congress, Kumaramanglam was a leader with distinction.

The lawyer and the leader- Mohan Kumaramangalam; Source: Alchetron

When Napoleon was defeated in the War of Waterloo, many remarked how the English victory took place in Eaton. A school for boys who were taught and trained in British values. Their primary virtue was the service of the empire. All those who came out of this breeding ground bore the mark of English gentlemen. Needless to say, they also played a significant role in British imperialism and colonisation.

There are always exceptions. People who flow against the stream and create a completely different identity for themselves. One such person was Mohan Kumaramangalam.

Born on 1 November 1916 in London to a high-class family of Zamindars, everyone expected Mohan to be a prim-proper and polished English man. He studied at Eaton and Cambridge.

Except, Mohan was a communist. Not an Indian ally of the empire, but its vocal critic who became a part of the Indian freedom struggle. The boy took a turn to the left during his time at Cambridge’s King's College.

He lived a lavish life adorn in silks and riches, a luxury he realized was purely a product of his class privileges. There were elites who enjoyed life and there was the working class who toiled hard. When this unfair distinction of the society became apparent to him, Kumaramangalam aligned himself with communism.

In 1939, Mohan returned to India to free his motherland from the clutches of the British.

His first big act of defiance was distributing “seditious content” via pamphlets. Along with his associates, he was arrested on the charges of being a part of the Madras Conspiracy Case.

When he was released, his opposition to the empire became louder. He published magazines, participated in protests and challenged unjust British rule.

When a peasant revolt erupted in Madras, the English jackboot jumped on communists. Once again, KumaraMangalam found himself behind the bars and once again he became more confrontational.

After India’s independence, he believed that our nascent democracy should have a healthy relationship with the Soviet Union. But slowly, his love for communism waned and he even resigned from the Communist Party of India.

Now a member of the Indian National Congress, Mohan served various important officers. When the party split, he stood by Indira Gandhi.

Just when life was going on, as usual, this great man met a tragic end when Indian Airlines Flight 440 crashed on 31 May 1973. The accident was so gruesome that it was almost impossible to identify his body. It was due to his signature Parker Pen and a hearing aid that the world could receive the tragic news of his death.

An able administrator, an insightful writer and a man dedicated to serving his country left the world at the age of 56.