# P. Sreeramakrishnan

Shri P. Sreeramakrishnan (born 14 November 1967) is an Indian politician who served as the resident Vice-Chairman of Norka-Roots and as a member of the 13th Kerala Legislative Assembly beginning 1 June 2011. He served as the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2016 to 2021.
As Speaker, Sreeramakrishnan oversaw the Festival on Democracy and coordinated the Ponnani Model of flood relief and rehabilitation, which has been recognized by the UN Forum for its public participation and use of technology. He also established the Loka Kerala Sabha, a platform for Global Keralites to participate in matters of the state.
His literary publications Atmiyata Kalapamakumbol, Janadhipathyam Samskaram Samakaleena Lokam and Navothanam Nava Janadhipathyam Nava Keralam discuss his vision of a new democratic Kerala that diverges from traditional, dogmatic ideals. He is a recipient of the Pravasi Bharathi Award and the 2017 Bharat Jyothi Award for Best Speaker. He received The Ideal Legislative Assembly Speaker/Ideal Legislative Council Chairman Award on 20 February 2020 at the 10th edition of Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad in New Delhi, conferred by the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu.
Sreeramakrishnan has traveled to countries including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Laos, China, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, South Africa, U.K, and Kenya.

## Early life and education

Sreeramakrishnan was born on 14 November 1967 in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, Kerala, India, to Shri. P Govindan Nair and Smt. P Seetha Lakshmi. He has two siblings, who reside in the United Arab Emirates. He completed his primary education from Pattikad GLP school, and his secondary education from Perinthalmanna G.H.S.S. and Pattikkad G.H.S.S.
In 1983, he enrolled at NSS College, Ottapalam, where he completed his pre-degree coursework and earned a bachelor's degree in Bachelor of Arts. During college, Sreeramakrishnan expressed an interest in essay writing, elocution, and drama. He won the prize for the best essay in South India at the Inter-University Youth Festival in 1988. After obtaining a BEd degree, Sreeramakrishnan worked as a teacher at the Melattur Ravivarma Mooppil Eradi Higher Secondary School before entering politics.

## Personal life

On 18 August 1996, Sreeramakrishnan married Smt. M Divya, and they have two children, Niranjana and Priyaranjan.

## Political career

Sreeramakrishnan became politically active at age twelve as Secretary of the High School unit of the Students' Federation. He went from Chairman of the Calicut University Union to District President of the SFI Palakkad Committee, later becoming a youth leader in DYFI, and eventually a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

### 1980–1991: Early political career

Sreeramakrishnan's political career began when he became the Secretary of Deshabhimani Balasangam of Keezhattoor Panchayat in 1980. While a student in the N.S.S. College, Ottapalam, Sreeramakrishnan held the position of Office bearer of the college union. He was also named Chairman of the Calicut University Union. He was also a Senate Member and Syndicate Member of Calicut University. He served as the District President of the SFI Palakkad Committee from 1988 to 1991.

### 1991–2011: Leadership in the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)

Sreeramakrishnan has held various positions in DYFI from the local level to national leadership. He served as Block Secretary, Perinthalmanna from 1991 and district secretary, Malappuram from 1997. After working at the Block and District Committees of the Democratic Youth Federation of India for a decade, Sreeramakrishnan became its State joint secretary and then the State President in 2005, and then the Asia Pacific Co-Ordinator of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.
He served as the Managing Editor of 'Yuvadhara' magazine. After progressing to become State secretary, Sreeramakrishnan was elected as the All India President of DYFI in 2007 in the national meeting held at Chennai and continued in the post till 2012. During his time of leadership at DYFI, Sreeramakrishnan initiated a movement to address unemployment and under-employment issues faced by the youth of Kerala, as well as employment issues faced by IT professionals in Bangalore.
He was Vice-Chairman of the Youth Welfare Board from 2006 to 2011. He was also a member of the Government Committee that prepared the draft law for the constitution of the Youth Commission. During that period, he was also the leader of the World Federation of Democratic Youth(WFDY) in the Asia-Pacific region, and he organized World Youth Conferences and Forums against imperialism. As part of World Youth movements, he visited Nepal, Sri Lanka, Laos, China, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, South Africa, U.K. and Kenya and also attended Youth Conferences in various foreign countries.

### 2011–2020: Kerala Legislative Assembly

Sreeramakrishnan contested the elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Nilambur constituency. In 2011, he contested from the Ponnani constituency, winning with a majority of 4,101 votes and becoming a member of the Thirteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly. He won the elections again in 2016, increasing his majority to 15,640 votes from the Ponnani constituency. In the formation of the Fourteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly, Sreeramakrishnan was elected as Speaker of the assembly on 3 June 2016.
Sreeramakrishnan was elected Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly by the members of the Assembly, polling 92 votes against 46 votes for Shri V.P Sajeendran. It was noted that the BJP's lone member in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Shri O Rajagopal, voted in favor of Sreeramakrishnan. Rajagopal stated that one of the reasons was that UDF had openly stated that they did not want the BJP MLA's vote, adding "It's my vote for Sreeramakrishnan who is a good public worker and also a friend of mine."

## Books

Sreeramakrishnan has authored two books, as discussed below, in addition to seventeen books he compiled and published regarding rules that determine the practice and procedure of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Janadhipathyam Samskaram Samakaleena Lokam includes articles that analyse the image of contemporary Kerala.
Navodhanam Navi Janadhipathya NavaKeralam explores Kerala after the 2018 floods and the government's response. The book also touches on topics such as how the new democratic has changed the face of Kerala, NRI and Adivasi welfare, discrimination suffered by lower castes, and the new outlook observed by citizens today. The book was released in Sharjah by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.

## Achievements as speaker

As the Speaker of the 14th Kerala Legislative, Sreeramakrishnan enacted reforms that included rendering the Legislative Assembly premises a model in bio-diverse ecosystems, declaration of green protocol, setting up a plantain grove with a collection of more than 30 endemic varieties, and setting up a bio-waste treatment plant.

### Introduced new and novel ways of involving citizens in making amendments to bills

* Sreeramakrishnan enabled the public to directly contact the Speaker's office with any amendments, changes, or additions they would like to voice on a drafted bill, after which the Speaker's office would contact the concerned minister. A 2019 bill on clinical establishments attracted almost 450 suggested amendments to the Speaker's office, out of which around 140 amendments were enacted.

### Recognised for "Festival on Democracy", a first-of-its kind, recurring event that includes the youth

* As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the first Kerala Legislative Assembly (1957 – 2017), P Sreeramakrishnan conceived of the 'Festival on Democracy', a thematic concept that included multiple national level conferences aimed at strengthening democracy and inculcating a love for democratic values in the youth. It was inaugurated by Shri. Ram Nath Kovind, Hon’ble President of India on 6 Aug 2018.

### Credited with the digitalization of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and moving it closer to becoming a totally paperless establishment

* The software "E-Niyamasabha" was developed as the first phase in the digitalization of the Kerala Legislative Assembly project to make the assembly paper-free, and was completed in January 2020. Sreeramakrishnan first spoke of the move to digitalization in May 2019.

### Initiated various critical projects that have significantly impacted the lifestyles and livelihoods of the people

* A Rs 74.4 crore fresh water project, initiated by Sreeramakrishnan, which aims to supply fresh water to Ponnani taluk has been sanctioned and completed at Rs. 60 crore. The water treatment plant treats 50 million litres of water per day and aids the Thrikkanapuram Danida project, and is currently pumping a maximum of 65 lakh litres of water.

### Known for bringing about 'Sabha TV' aimed at showcasing the functioning of the KLA and its activities

* A channel named Sabha TV and an O.T.T platform were launched under the guidance of Sreeramakrishnan to shed light on the history of KLA, the impact of laws passed by it, and to initiate debates and discourses in the public arena. The inauguration celebrating Kerala Sabha TV was conducted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Thiruvananthapuram via videoconferencing on 17 August 2020. The Chief Minister, Pinrayi Vijayan, also joined the programme via videoconferencing. The OTT platform, Sabha TV is the first of its kind by a Legislative Assembly in India.

### Demonstrated commitment to minority sections by formulating special committees for their welfare

* Sreeramakrishnan nominated and pushed for the establishment of a separate Committee for the Welfare of Members of Transgender Community in the Assembly.

### Gained international praise for an innovative model of flood relief work that leveraged technology and the involvement of the public

* The Ponnani Legislative Assembly, led by Sreeramakrishnan, developed a mechanism to calculate the intensity of damages caused by the Kerala Floods in 2018. The Ponnani model of flood relief work gained international acclaim and was listed as a topic of discussion at a key United Nations Forum.

### Envisioned and launched the Loka Kerala Sabha, a one of a kind platform for Global Keralites to participate in matters of the state

* Loka Kerala Sabha was formulated and conducted under the guidance of Sreeramakrishnan. Loka Kerala Sabha is hosted in co-operation with the Government of Kerala, to bring all Keralites living in various parts of the world under one platform, to invoke their collective conscience and harness and share their achievements and progress to the benefit and welfare of the State. The event is proposed to happen once every two years, and the second Loka Kerala Sabha was celebrated on 2 and 3 January 2020, with Mr. Arif Mohammad Khan, the governor of Kerala inaugurating the event in Thiruvananthapuram.

### Supervised the launch of the Assembly’s official newsletter

* 'Arivoram', a bimonthly official newsletter of the Kerala Legislative Assembly was launched under the leadership of Sreeramakrishnan.

### Introduced a system to analyze the impact of laws passed in Kerala over time

* Sreeramakrishnan instituted a legal impact assessment system, a mechanism to study the impact of laws passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in the last 60 years.

### Participated actively in various landmark civil projects in his constituency of Ponnani

* Sreeramakrishnan brought the proposed plan for a bridge connecting Ponnani harbour with Padinharekara to fulfilment. The infrastructure development in Ponnani, with a budget allocation of Rs. 289 crore via KIIFB is for a proposed suspension bridge which will come up across the Bharathapuzha connecting Ponnani harbour with Padinharekara. The government began the tendering process for the project in October 2020. The one km long bridge is set to pass over the estuary where the Bharathapuzha opens out into the Arabian sea.

## Initiatives undertaken
### Festival on Democracy

"Festival on Democracy" is a thematic concept envisaged by P. Sreeramakrishnan which includes multiple national level conferences aimed at strengthening democracy among the youth of the state. Its purpose is to inculcate in the youth a love for democratic values and the democratic way of life. The concept attracted much favor and fanfare across the country and was inaugurated by Shri. Ram Nath Kovind, Hon’ble President of India on 6 August 2018. The Festival on Democracy consists of a string of academic and cultural programs held across the state of Kerala to celebrate the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. It includes seminars, exhibitions, debates, model assembly, and allows certain selection sections to visit the Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram. The event technically comprises six major conclaves: National Women Legislators Conference, National Students Parliament, National Media Conclave on Democracy, Special Conference on Assembly Proceedings and Consensus Conclave on Kerala Development.
The first National Conference under "Festival on Democracy", a 'National Legislators' Conference on the Challenges in the Empowerment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Independent India saw the active participation of elected representatives from several State Legislatures of India, with massive participation from members belonging to SC, ST and backward classes. The second National Conference under "Festival of Democracy", the National Students Parliament (NSP) saw the astounding participation of nearly 3000 youth from all over the country as well as from a few foreign countries. This celebration of youth and democracy had in its wake several plenary and regional sessions apart from the novel 'Rings of Fire', 'Symphony for Harmony', cultural presentations, and "March of Democracy" that involved more than 10,000 college students and a pompous valedictory function. The three-day NSP Kerala – 2019 was attended by several national leaders, cutting across political and cultural lines. Sreeramakrishnan had participated as a key dignitary at the preceding 'Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad' i.e. Indian Students Parliament which was Founded by Shri Rahul V. Karad –Vice President- MAEER's MIT, Pune in 2011. Shri. P. Sreeramakrishnan along with Shri. Rahul V. Karad felt the need to host such a 'Students Parliament' at State Level supported by State Governments across India to sensitise the Youth on Democratic Values and encourage them to participate actively in Public and Political life.

### Loka Kerala Sabha

The first Loka Kerala Sabha was formulated and conducted under the guidance of Sreeramakrishnan in January 2018. The event is hosted in cooperation with the Government of Kerala, to bring all Keralites living in various parts of the world under one platform with a representative nature, to invoke their collective conscience and harness and share their achievements and progress to the benefit and welfare of the State. The event, which is proposed to happen once every two years, celebrated the second Loka Kerala Sabha on 2 and 3 January 2020, with Mr. Arif Mohammad Khan, the governor of Kerala inaugurating the event in Thiruvananthapuram.
The first Loka Kerala Sabha saw the participation of around 500 delegates from 27 countries. It led to the formation of 7 standing committees that suggested proper recommendations to the government. The second Loka Kerala Sabha proved that the measures taken by the government considering those recommendations have benefitted the expatriates.
The 351-member Loka Kerala Sabha comprises the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the Members of the Indian Parliament from Kerala, non-resident Keralites of Indian citizenship nominated by the Government of Kerala, and select members of the returnee community. The non-resident members are selected from abroad and other states/UTs within India, taking into account the diversities of gender, age and occupational status. They also include eminent non-resident Keralites who have contributed immensely in their respective fields of engagement to achieve public acclaim.
Sreeramakrishnan is of the opinion that the objectives of the LKS went beyond being an investors' meet and Kerala became a model to the world. He also added that this platform enabled non-residential Keralites from across the world to come together and share their unique experiences.
Vasantholsavam 2019 – 2020 (Spring Fest 2019 -2020), organized as part of the second Loka Kerala Sabha (World Kerala Assembly) and endorsed by the Kerala Tourism Department and DTPC of Thiruvananthapuram saw the active participation of government departments like the Forest and Agriculture Departments, agencies and private companies. Flower shows, exhibition cum sale of agricultural products, exhibition of rare herbs and medicinal plants, insight into the tribal traditions, natural treatment camps and tribal food festivals were organized as part of the fest. About 20,000 plants were imported for the exhibition from the garden city of Bangalore.

### Ponnani Model on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation

The Kerala floods in 2018 killed over 400 people and destroyed infrastructure and property. The Ponnani model flood relief work gained international acclaim and was listed as a topic of discussion at a key United Nations Forum. It was also deliberated at the South Asia Together for Humanitarian Imperative (SATHI) held in September 2018.
The Ponnani Legislative Assembly, led by Sreeramakrishnan, developed a mechanism to calculate the intensity of damages caused. A geographic Information System (GIS) Drone Field Survey was carried out in Ponnani from 23 to 30 August 2018 under the guidance of Sreeramakrishnan. The cost of the drone survey was narrowed to Rs. 5 lakh from Rs. 20 lakh, through the Disaster Support Concept, a support system from collaborating partners - Alhambricks Knowledge Endowment and Ponnani Municipality Chairman CP Mohammed Kunhi. The amount was equally met by Ponnani Municipality and Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), based in Kozhikode. Alhambricks Knowledge Endowment carried out the interpretation, data mining, indexing and other socio-scientific enhancement free of cost. The post daum hosting development- interpretation of the data, mobilising resources and devising distribution mechanism was done by Infosys.
It took seven days for the team to identify the affected areas and verify them with the help of technology as well as volunteers on the field. By using drones synchronised with satellite images to ascertain the route of the flood, false claims on loss of property as well as livestock were weeded out. All the relief material distributed were marked with QR codes, to ensure that they were delivered to the right houses and people.
The municipality used the novel method of drone survey to calculate the damage caused by the flood by conducting an aerial survey using the drone. A virtual platform was developed by IT students to collect data and file them for reference. Furthermore, funds were raised through co-operative banks to acquire resources to distribute to those affected.

### Ponnani Fresh Water Project

A fresh water supply project, initiated by Sreeramakrishnan, aims to supply fresh water to Ponnani taluk and has been completed at Rs. 60 crore. With the budget for the project at Rs. 74.4 crore, the project was completed with a balance of Rs. 14.4 crore. The water treatment plant treats 50 million litres of water per day and aids the Thrikkanapuram Danida project, and is currently pumping a maximum of 65 lakh litres of water. For this, a pipeline has been laid from Nariparambu pump house to Thrikkanapuram. The water reaches the houses after a 6 step purification process. The project is envisioned to take into account the amount of fresh water required for the taluk for the next 30 years.
The current practice of pumping water directly into the river will be completely changed. The river water will be converted into fresh water after stage treatment with the help of modern machinery. The plan is to completely demolish the fresh water supply system of the Ponnani municipality and install a new one. The Rs 124.8 crore project was given administrative approval in January 2021. Funds for the first and second phases have been raised through KIIFB. As part of the replacement of the pipelines, 210 km of roads will have to be demolished, with Rs. 20 crore being set apart for road construction. The fresh water project was inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vjiayan on 7 February 2021, in the presence of Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, Ministers KT Jalil, K Krishnan Kutty and ET Muhammad Basheer MP.

### Civil works undertaken as MLA of Ponnani

After being elected into office in 2011, Sreeramakrishnan secured Rs. 1350 crore in funding to be distributed over the next five towards various efforts for the improvement of physical infrastructure and standard of living in Ponnani, for projects such as education and school infrastructure projects (Rs. 8 crore), tourism development (Rs. 5 crore), construction of coastal borders (Rs. 10 crore), construction and employment of maternity and fetal care hospitals (Rs. 5 crore), village and state highway roads (Rs. 300 crore), village reforms (Rs. 103 crore), construction of a coastal police station, and construction of bridges like the Kadavanad Pookaithapalam at a cost of Rs. 25 crore.
After taking office as the MLA representing Ponnani, Malappuram district, Sreeramakrishnan arranged funding sanctioned by the Kerala Legislative Assembly for improving the traffic infrastructure in Ponnani in January 2016. Various healthcare improvement projects were undertaken under the leadership of Sreeramakrishnan. The Ponnani Taluk Hospital got a facelift in April 2018, with yearly development funds of Rs. 1.3 crore when Sreeramakrishnan undertook efforts to convert the hospital into a multi-speciality hospital. Along with medical improvements, the hospital is also equipped with a computerized OP counter token system in the newly constructed OP building. A maternal and child hospital was also established specialising in maternity and fetal care. Sreeramakrishnan was called to name the first baby delivered at the hospital.
The development for the proposed Ponnani Drinking Water Project was implemented with a sanction of Rs. 75 crore with a water treatment plant of Rs. 40 crore and a pipeline project of Rs. 35 crore under the direction of Sreeramakrishnan. Rs. 85 lakh was sanctioned in February 2020 for the renovation of the historic Ponnani Missouri Church. Subsequently, the controversial move to demolish the church was halted and a decision was made to renovate the building under the Missouri Heritage project.
The Ponnani fishing harbour project was completed with a fund of Rs. 3.79 crore under the initiative taken by Sreeramakrishnan. The newly constructed wharf which is 100 metres in length and 7 metres in width has an additional parking area provided.

## Awards and recognition

The Ideal Legislative Assembly Speaker/Ideal Legislative Council Chairman Award was presented to Sreeramakrishnan on 20 February 2020 at the 10th edition of Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad in New Delhi, conferred by the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu. He is also a recipient of the Pravasi Bharathi Award and the 2017 Bharat Jyothi Award for Best Speaker.

## Political and social views

Sreeramakrishnan has been an advocate for youth rights in the state of Kerala. During his tenure as President of DYFI, he called for an uncompromising stand against the imperialistic forces that had created a host of crises like unemployment and spiralling prices due to the wrong economic policies pursued by the UPA government at the centre in 2007. He is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a patron of DYFI.

## Positions held

* Secretary of Deshabhimani Balasangam of Keezhatoor Panchayat
* Office Bearer of the N.S.S College Union, Ottapalam
* Chairman of the Calicut University Union, Calicut
* Senate Member and Syndicate Member of Calicut University, Calicut
* District President of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Palakkad Committee
* Block Secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Perinthalmanna
* District Secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Malappuram
* State Joint Secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)
* State President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)
* Asia Pacific Coordinator of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)
* Managing Editor of Yuvadhara magazine
* State Secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)
* All India President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)
* Vice Chairman of the Youth Welfare Board
* Leader of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) [Asia Pacific region]
* Member of the Thirteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly, Ponnani constituency
* Speaker of the Fourteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly