Expat groups seek renaming Kochi airport after Karunakaran

Kerala expatriate forums made a joint call on Sunday evening to rename the Cochin International Airport in the southern Indian state after the former chief minister K Karunakaran, who died recently.
The call for renaming the airport, situated in Nedumbassery, 22 kilometres north of Kochi city came at a remembrance meeting held in honour of the senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader at the Indian Cultural Centre. The meeting was convened by Indian Cultural and Arts Society (Incas). Members of some 22 organisations also attended the meeting.
The nonagenarian leader Karunakaran, who was the Kerala chief minister four times, died on December 23.
At the meeting, the speakers recalled the efforts initiated by Karunakaran to make the airport a reality, during his tenure as Kerala chief minister between 1991 and 1995.
“Renaming the airport after Karunakaran is a befitting tribute to the late leader,” the speakers opined.
Recently, former Indian minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor had also demanded that the airport be renamed after Karunakaran.
Incas representatives said a copy of the resolution would also be sent to the directors of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which operates the airport and which is also one of the largest in India.
28/12/10 Gulf Times

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Categories: Airports Dec 2010