Kannur: Chathoth Rairu Nair, a prominent Indian freedom fighter, Gandhi’s disciple and a businessman, passed away on Friday. He was 98.

He died at the Kozhikode District Cooperative Hospital at about 7.15 pm.

He was born in a middle-class farming family in Pinarayi, Kannur, to Rairu Nair from Therala, a teacher, and Chathoth Madhavi Amma on February 10, 1922.

Disappointed at not being able to meet Mahatma Gandhi when he visited Thalassery, Rairu Nair, who was studying in class 8, went to Wardha, Maharashtra, where he got to meet and interact with the Father of the Nation. He spent eight months working at the Maganwadi Sevagram.

He then returned to Kerala and completed his studies.

In 1955, he left for Malaysia and worked in the insurance sector. When he returned, he started a pharmacy in Kozhikode. After closing the shop in 1982, he spent many years at his Melur home. 

He shared close ties with Left leaders like AKG, EK Nayanar and N E Balram. He was also close to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

He was married to Narayani.

He is survived by five children: Pradeep Kumar (business, Malaysia), Praveena (Bengaluru), Dr Preetha Chathoth (retd senior manager, World Bank, Washington), Tanuja (defence, Australia), and Prasanna (business, Ooty), and their spouses Bharthi, Suresh Chandra Menon (retired from BEML, Bengaluru), Purushottam Bachani (business, Washington), N G G Nair (engineer, Australia). One of his sons-in-law, Wing Commander David Dawson (Ooty), is no more.