Bengaluru /New Delhi
New Delhi: Junaid Kaipani has been elected as the national secretary of the Janata Dal Secular. His election is with regard to the Organisational Re Structure Resolution at the National Plenum of the party held in Bangalore on 11 December 2023.
Junaid Kaippani is presently the Wayanad District Panchayat Welfare Standing Committee chairman and Left Democratic Front (LDF), district panchayat parliamentary party leader. He is also the current National Executive member of the Janathadal Secular
He was active as state president and all India secretary of the Vidyarthi Janata Dal and state secretary and member of the Yuvjana Janata Dal national committee. He has also borne the positions of member of the Janata Dal(S) state committee and its district vice president.
He has also been active as all India president of the Yuvajana Seva Dal, president of the Wayanad district Mathrubhoomi study circle, state convener of the Maulana Azad Cultural Forum student’s wing, working president of the Kerala Madhyavarjana Samithi (Prohibition Council),Wayanad district secretary of the Bus Passengers Association and president of the Pravasi Janata Cultural Forum (PJCF), Qatar chapter.
He is currently district secretary of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and chairman of the Life Enrichment Training Zone (LETZ) Charitable Trust, and director of Agrilad and Progress Foundation. Moreover, he is currently State general secretary of the Kerala Chamber of District Panchayat Standing Committee Chairpersons, state co-ordinator of the Sugathavanam Charitable Trust, editor of Wide Live news portal and extension faculty at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA). He also functions as wayanad district vice- chairman of the P N Panicker Foundation and as community engagement director of the Sidra Liberal Arts and Science College.
Entry into politics and Student agitations
Junaid Kaipani’s political entry was as a follower and worker of the Students Federation of India (SFI) during his high school days. He was the SFI Vellamanda unit president, SFI Panamaram area president, SFI Panamaram area secretary and a member of the SFI Wayanad district committee. He took a lead role in organising several agitations such as those against the computer studies fees levied by schools and the agitation for the Wayanad District Government Engineering College to be retained in the district. He also led campaigns for bus charge concessions for students etc.
Though still a high school student, Junaid Kaipani had taken the lead in some of the much talked-about student agitations against self-financing colleges and the commercialization of education in Kerala. This was in the wake of the suicide of the student Rajani S Anand in 2004. He also participated in the agitation against casteism.
During his college days it was his vast reading about Indian political socialist experiments that attracted him towards socialist politics. He became the president of Socialist Students Organisation (SSO) of Mananthavady assembly constituency. He later became its Wayanad district secretary. At the state conference held in Changanassery in February 2017, he was elected to the SSO state committee.
Activity in Karnataka and in Kerala University Union
When Virendra Patil was chief minister of Karnataka, campus politics as well as student union elections were banned. The ban stayed in effect for two decades. The Vidyarthi Janata Dal, Karnataka chapter held a satyagraha at Bangalore Race course Junction in July 2008 demanding the ban be overturned by an ordinance. The slogan “Re-introduce Student Politics” drew much attention. Junaid Kaippani’s activities as secretary of the Vidyarthi Janata Dal was also instrumental in helping him establish close friendships with the top leadership of Karnataka Janata Dal.
In 2011 he was elected as the parliamentary party leader of the Vidyarthi Janata Dal of Kerala University Union. This was followed by his election as vice-chairman of the Kerala University Union. This election merits special mention as it was the first time that a vice chairman was elected from the district of Wayanad to the Kerala University Union. This victory came in for special appreciation from H.D Deva Gowda, the then Janata Dal all India president and former Prime minister.
Teaching interest
He has taught at LETZ Education Centre, Nalloornad, AMMR Government Higher Secondary School, English School at Nasik, Maharashtra and at Al Furqan( Sidra Liberal Arts and Science College). Junaid Kaippani has thus proven his calibre as a good educationist.
Education
Junaid Kaippani has a degree and a master degree in commerce and a B.Ed. In addition, he has a master degree in psychology. He has also completed a certificate course on the topic of ‘Decentralization and Local Governance’ conducted by KILA and Digital University in association with Sree Narayana Guru Open University.
Family
He was born in Vellamunda as the son of Mammooty Kaippani and Subaida. His wife Jesna Junaid is a teacher. The couple has a son, Adil Jihan and daughter, Jeza Fathima, Aizah Hind
He completed his schooling at AUP School Vellamunda, GMHSS Vellamunda and St Joseph HSS,Kallody His higher studies were carried out at Calicut University, Kerala University and Annamalai University.
Writings and Awards
Junaid Kaippani is an active presence in the social and cultural spheres. He has written several books including the travelogue ‘Rapartha Nagarangal’ for which he was awarded the Media Excellency award. His role as civic worker and public person has won him the Dharmik Award and the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Award.
He is currently busy writing a book to be titled ‘The Ins and Outs of Democracy”.
