Thiruvananthapuram, June 5 (BPNS)

Centenarian Gandhian, Gopinathan Nair passed away at a private hospital near here on Tuesday. He was ailing for a few weeks after a fall in his bathroom.

He is survived by his wife, L .Saraswathi Amma. Gopinathan Nair is renowned for his selfless service at Marad in Kozhikode where he camped for eight months in 2003 to prevent a communal war in the state. In Marad ,eight Hindu fishermen were killed by Muslim fanatics. It was the timely intervention of Gopinathan Nair and his team of Gandhians drawn from across the state that helped prevent the issue blowing up into a major communal flare up.

Gopinathan Nair was the President of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and had seen Mahatma Gandhi when Bapuji had arrived at Neyyatinkara. He later met Gandhiji twice, once again at Neyyatinkara and later at Rabindra University, Kolkotta where the Mahatma asked students to fully devote their time for the cause of independence.

Gopinathan Nair was felicitated by the nation with Padmasree award. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Cheif Minister A.K. Antony, Union minister V. Muraleedharan and a horde of leaders and ordinary people condoled the passing away of the true Gandhian.

Renowned Journalist Priya Raveendran has directed a documentary on Gopinathan Nair.