Melathu Veettil Raghavan (born 5 May 1933) is a veteran Communist leader and a former Minister in Kerala state of India.[1] He is the General Secretary of Communist Marxist Party, an alliance partner in the United Democratic Front| UDF. Prior to the formation of CMP he was a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).He has been minister in UDF governments number of times. He is also known to be a good orator.
He belongs to Kannur District in the North Malabar area of Kerala. His district is one of the developing zone in the country. Raghavan set up the fist co-operative sector Medical College in the country viz. Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur District. He was the key person to build the first 'Visha Chikitsa Kendram' (Ante-venom removal centre) in the state at Pappinisseri.
Outside politics, MVR is active in charity organizations like MACT (Mannath Acharya Charitable Trust), which helps economically backward members belonging to the Nambiar community.[2]
MVR was born in born 5 May 1933 in Kannur. His father was Shankaran Nambiar.[3] M V Nikesh Kumar, a Keralite newsreader, is the son of MVR.[4]