Eminent Gandhian Kaumudi teacher dead

Kaumudi teacher, a prominent Gandhian who made a mark in the history of the national movement by gifting her gold ornaments to Mahatma Gandhi as a 17-year-old, died today, family sources said.

She was 92 and a spinster.

Hailed by the Mahatma himself as a symbol of renunciation, Kaumudi voluntarily donated her ornaments to Gandhi during his visit to Vatakara here in 1934.

Her sacrifice was acknowledged by Gandhi in his article titled 'Kaumudi's renunciation' published in 'Young India' which had been translated to all Indian languages and made part of school syllabus.

She later devoted herself to propagation of khadi and teaching Hindi and decided not to wear ornaments.

Kaumudi was born in a royal family to A K Ramavarma Raja and Devaki Kettilamma on May 17, 1917 at Vayakkara in Kannur.