At 95, P.K. Medini, Keralam’s singer of revolutionary anthems, gets her own ‘Red Salute’

‘Red Salute’ is an album of revolutionary songs that became synonymous with veteran singer P.K. Medini, whose voice has echoed from Left platforms across Keralam since she was 13.

Nearly eight decades later, the 95 year old communist has found a permanent address of her own at Thottakam near Vaikom, the native place of Communist leader P. Krishna Pillai. Fittingly, she has named her new home ‘Red Salute’.

A part of Keralam’s communist history, Medini Chechi, as she is popularly known, had spent the past eight years moving from one rented house to another in Mannancherry, Alappuzha. Her long standing wish to have a home of her own became a reality after the CPI State leadership asked its Vaikom mandalam committee to help her settle in the land associated with P. Krishna Pillai.

The house has come up on a 5.5 cent plot at Thottakam, close to the Vaikom Vechoor road. The plot was purchased for ₹10 lakh, while the CPI spent another ₹15 lakh to build the 600 sq ft house, which was completed in 62 days, said V.B. Binu, a member of the CPI State committee.

“It was after Medini Chechi, who had been moving from one rented house to another for several years, expressed her wish to live in the land of P. Krishna Pillai that the State committee decided to fulfil her desire. We purchased the plot and completed construction of the 600 sq ft house in just 62 days,” Mr. Binu said.

Painted red and white, the house has red flower pots lined up outside and a bamboo fence around it. Medini chose the name ‘Red Salute’, a tribute to the revolutionary song that has been closely associated with her for decades. CPI State secretary Binoy Viswam is scheduled to hand over the keys to Medini at a function here on Thursday evening.

Ms. Medini will live in the house with her younger daughter Hansa. Hansa’s husband, screenwriter Shaji Pandavath, died five years ago, after which she has been living with her mother.

“This is the biggest award the Communist movement has ever gifted me,” she said.

“I regard this as a memorial to the Communist Party and wish to develop it into an art and cultural centre. I am happy to accommodate anyone who is struggling for food here,” added the veteran communist.

Anyone in need who comes to ‘Red Salute’, she said, would be offered drinking water and a share of their food. She also dedicated the name of her house to the countless unknown communists who sacrificed their lives for the movement in Keralam.

Ms. Medini’s association with the Communist movement goes back to her childhood. She began singing on stage at the age of 13 and became a party member when she was 26. Her songs soon became an integral part of party meetings and election campaigns, helping take the Communist message to the masses.