The first 9 Polit Bureau Members (PBMs) elected in the 7th Party Congress  (1st after the formation of CPI(M) held in Kolkata from 31 October to 7th November 1964 are honoured by the title “Navaratnas”. Who are they?

1. Com. P.Sundarayya  (01-05-1913 to 19-05-1984)

2. Com. E.M.S.Namboodiripad ( 14-06-1909 to 19-03-1998)

3. Com. Harkishan Singh Surjeet ( 23-03-1916 to 01-08-2008)

4. Com. Promode Dasgupta (07-07-1910 to 28-11-1982)

5. Com. A.K.Gopalan ( 01-10-1904 to 21-03-1977)

6. Com. B.T.Ranadive ( 19-12-1904 to 06-04-1990)

7. Com. M. Basavapunnaiah ( 14-12-1914 to 12-04-1992)

8. Com. P. Ramamurti ( 20-09-1908 to 15-12-1987)

9. Com. Jyoti Basu (08-07-1914 to 17-01-2010)

None of them are alive now. All the comrades were part of the Independence struggle, have joined the Communist Party in their young age and have sacrificed their entire life for the service of the people. All of them have been jailed during the British rule as also under the Congress rule. Three of them worked as General secretary of CPI(M) viz. Coms. P.Sundarayya, EMS Namboodiripad and Harkishan Singh Surjeet. Two were Chief Ministers – Coms. EMS Namboodiripad and Jyoti Basu.

When the XXI Party Congress of CPI(M) is being held at Visakhapatnam from 14-19 April 2015, none of these stalwarts are alive. But there are lakhs of party comrades who carries the work of service to the people, following the footsteps of these great leaders.

Red Salute to these leading Comrades who fought against revisionism and Left Sectarianism and showed the correct path towards Socialism and Communism!