Priyanka Gandhi visits Cheruvayal Raman's home in Wayanad, breaks down while meeting family | VIDEO

Wayanad (Keralam): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday visited the home of Padma Shri awardee Cheruvayal Raman, who died last month at the age of 74, and interacted with his family members.

Raman, who belonged to the Kurichya tribal community, was widely known for preserving more than 45 indigenous rice varieties that were at risk of extinction through traditional organic farming practices over several decades.

Vadra, who is on a three-day visit to Keralam to visit her constituency, reached Raman's family home here, spent some time with his relatives and interacted with them.

She was seen wiping away tears as she spoke with the family members.

Speaking to reporters later, she described Raman as "a really good man and a special soul", adding that she would miss him.

"I have met him only once, and had a long meeting with him. Other than that, I used to call him to enquire about his health and he used to joke with me. I considered him my friend, but my lasting impression of him was really of a man who genuinely wanted something good for his people and whose life was genuinely dedicated to his people," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke about Raman.

The Congress MP recalled that Raman had told her that all the awards he had received were worth nothing to him if nothing was done for his people.

"That was his life. I think that there are few people in this world who are so clean and genuine in what they want to achieve for others. He was one of those people. He was a good man and I am going to miss him," she said.

Vadra had planned to meet Raman during her previous visit to her constituency in September but had to cut short her programmes and return to New Delhi following protests there.

During Thursday's visit to his family home, Raman's wife Geetha handed over to Vadra the pepper and cardamom he had kept aside for her during her earlier visit, party sources said.

Following Raman's death on October 14, the Congress MP had recalled in a post on X that he had called her his daughter and that she had affectionately teased him by calling him her "Malayali Achchan (father)".

"When we last spoke to each other a month back, he wanted me to go and meet him. I promised that I would, but I had to cut short my trip to Wayanad because of events in Delhi so I missed meeting him thinking that I would return soon. When I heard about his passing my heart sank," she had said.

She had described Raman as wise, dignified and bold in thought and action, adding that he wanted more for his people and refused to accept less.

Born on June 6, 1952, as Thalakkara Cheriya Raman, he devoted himself to farming from the age of 10.

Such was his passion for agriculture that he turned down a government job at the Kannur DMO office in 1969.

Raman had also preserved traditional vegetables, medicinal plants and different varieties of trees on his farm.

He followed traditional methods of storing paddy seeds, exposing the harvested crop to sunlight and dew for a week before storing the seeds in heated bamboo containers and baskets made of straw.

The method helped the seeds retain their ability to germinate for up to two years.

He followed a seed-exchange system to help other farmers. Those who received seeds from him had to return the same quantity after the next cultivation season instead of paying money.

Besides visiting Raman's home, Vadra inaugurated Smart Anganwadis at Kammana in Mananthavady and Thrissileri, each built at a cost of Rs 25 lakh using funds from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

The Congress MP sang songs with the children at the Anganwadis, cut a cake with them and gifted them toys before leaving, sources said.

She later visited the Priyadarshini Tea Factory in Mananthavady and reviewed the redevelopment work and projects funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives at the unit, the party said in a post on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Mathrubhumi and is published from a syndicated feed.)