Renowed Dalit writer and activist KK Kochu, 76, passes away

Kottayam: Dalit thinker, writer, and social activist KK Kochu (76) passed away. He breathed his last at Kottayam Medical College Hospital while undergoing treatment. KK Kochu was a profound thinker who worked diligently and wrote to highlight the lives of Dalits and marginalised communities in Kerala and India, advocating for their rights.

Born on February 2, 1949, in Kallara, Kottayam district, he went into hiding for six months during the Emergency. He played a key role in forming organisations such as the Communist Youth Forum, People's Workers Union, and the Human Rights Committee. He was also a central committee member of the organisation SEEDIAN and the editor of its weekly publication.

In 1971, he won the second prize in the playwriting contest conducted by Mathrubhumi Weekly for college students. He joined KSRTC as a clerk in 1977 and retired as a senior assistant in 2001.

His notable works include Kerala History and Social Formation, Dalit Patham, Rebellion and Culture, and A Historical Lesson on Nationalism. His autobiography, Dalithan, received widespread recognition.