KOCHI: He was every Kochiite’s man irrespective of politics. If any prominent person came to the city belonging to any political hue, even judges or other people of eminence, they made it a point to drop in at his abode ‘Sadgamaya’ and only then they felt their visit to the city was complete. Justice V R Krishna Iyer’s voice never went unheard in the portals of power and he was the crusader for many causes of the city in the latter half of his innings.
His latest fight in the city was for converting the Kochi Co-operative Medical College into a Government Medical College and also building a cancer centre here.
He succeeded in both, but in the case of the cancer centre, only partially, as he could only see the foundation stone for it being laid whereas the medical college became the government medical college in his lifetime although it is still facing teething troubles.
He always had a special concern for cancer patients which he pronounced at the top of his voice despite his failing health, in front of ministers, legislators and media. He even voiced his concern over the delay in pushing the work of the cancer centre which is now stalled for want of funds.
The city went into mourning after 3.30 pm on Thursday when it became known that he was not going to be there anymore to take up the causes of the citizens.
The High Court closed the day’s proceedings as soon as the news of Krishna Iyer’s demise broke out around 3.45 pm.
Leaders and commoners first trooped into the private hospital where his body was kept to pay their homage and later at ‘Sadgamaya’ where the body was taken later.
Those who arrived at the hospital included Mayor Tony Chammany, GCDA chairman N Venugopal, District Collector M G Rajamanickam, BJP leader A N Radhakrishnan, CPM district secretary Dinesh Mani and City Police Commissioner K G James.
