K. K. Sivan, Kochi corporation councillor who succumbed to COVID on Saturday morning, had gifted to three homeless children who lived in Vyttila, their first experience of school. Nearly 15 years later, one of them, Murugan, arrived at the Ravipuram crematorium to pay his last respects to Sivan.
Sivan secured admission for Murugan and his two siblings at the government school at Ponnurunni, recalls Leby Sajeendran, a journalist who, back then, reported the story of the three kids going to school for the first time. "The family had no shelter. Sivan brought them clean clothes and books, and took them to school. The children were, of course, very happy about going to school that day," she said. They did not stay in school for too long since it might have been difficult for them, but he put in that effort to get them there, she said.
Murugan, who might have been around 10 years old back then, is now a lottery seller near Pettah, she adds. Since the cremation was held adhering to COVID protocol, he could not pay his respects. Nevertheless, he had arrived at the crematorium, Ms. Sajeendran said.
The Kochi corporation council held an online meeting on Saturday to pay homage to Sivan, who was also a CPI(M) Vyttila area committee member. Sivan's involvement in politics began with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and he went on to become councillor twice. Sivan did much to help the working and lower classes, said a note from Mayor M. Anilkumar.