Profile
Pinarayi is at a distance of 20 KM from the district head quarters Kannur. The population is around 29,000. The nearest town and railway station is Thalassery which is 8 Km away. Three  sides of my village  is  surrounded by rivers. Remaining boundaries consists of five panchayats namely, Kadirur, Dharmadam, Peralassery, Vengad, Kottayam and Erancholi. Arabian sea is just five Km away from here. Main occupation is Beedi manufacturing in which 'DINESH' is having a monopoly.  For administrational purposes the Panchayat is divided into two villages Eruvatty and Pinarayi. Pinarayi consists of 15 wards and almost all wards contains one or more primary schools.  My village is having all the facilities for  cultural and social activities mainly anchored by sports clubs, reading rooms, educational centres, youth organizations  and libraries. Pinarayi is having 18 reading rooms , 19 libraries and more than 60 arts and sports clubs. Electricity reached this village in 1958 itself and was inaugurated by then state minister Sri VR Krishna Iyer. Former Deputy Collector Mr. MP Kunhiraman Nair was the first consumer. Totally seven Muslim mosques and forty three Hindu temples are there in this Panchayat.

History
Pinarayi is a beautiful village which is surrounded by rivers on its three sides. Hundreds of years ago feudal fights between Kottayam and Kolathunadu rulers were common in this village and lot of peoples died during these fights. Due to this, it is believed that, the name Pinarayi was derived from 'Pinam' ( word for dead body in Malayalam). In 1920's itself peasant and teachers organizations were strong in this village and there was a wide support for freedom movement. As a part of freedom movement struggle, 'boycotting foreign cloths' strike was conducted here In 1930. Leaders of this strike were Sri AKG, AK Sankaran Nambiar, Kacherikkandi Chathukkutty and Thattari Kunhiraman. In 1938  seven thousand peasants marched from Pinarayi to Kottayam kovilakam for reducing 'varam and pattam' (rent given by peasants to landlords). It is worth to note that the population of Pinarayi during that time was around 10,000. This was considered as the first instant of unified mass movement against landlordism. AKG, Kundancheri Kunhiraman master, NE Balaram, Pandyala Gopalan Master, Pinarayi Krishnan master and TV Govindan Nair were the leaders.

Communist Party
In 1937 itself a committee of Communist Party was formed in a formal meeting at Kozhikkode that was presided by Com. SV Ghatte. But Kerala unit of Indian communist party started publicly working after its historic conference at Parapram of Pinarayi village in 1939. Communist legendaries like AKG, EMS, P Krishnappilai were present in the conference. Late CPI leader Sri. NE Balaram ( former Industry minister of Kerala and Member of Parliament) was a delegate. Pandyala Gopalan Master , great son of Pinarayi, was a volunteer during the conference.

Pinarayi was very famous for its Hindu-Muslim friendship. When there were communal riots in different parts of Thalassery, this village remained unaffected, which proved the progressive mentality of the public. Hindu communalists attacked several mosques and Muslim houses in and around Thalassery. CPIM leader Pinarayi Vijayan, Velayudhan Nambiar  and Chirayi Ananthan played an important role in resisting those communalists and protected minorities.

Basic Data Area 20.04 sq. km Population 28759 (91 census) Sex ratio 1000M/1047F Panchayat Capital Olayambalam Revenue Villages  Pinarayi, Eruvatty No of Wards 15 Exchange Mambaram Telephone No 0490-382454 Panchayat Address Pinarayi Grama Panchayat, Pin 670741 Pinarayi P.O. Kannur-670 741, Kerala East Kottayam Panchayat West Dharmadam Panchayat (Andalur-Melur Puzha) North Paralassery, Vengad Panchayat (Ancharakkandy river) South Kathirur, Eranholy Panchayat ( Ummenchira, Andalur river) Block Panchayat Thalassery Taluk Thalassery Assembly Constituency Koothuparamba Parliament Constituency Kannur President Kakoth Rajan Vice President K.P. Sadhu Master No. of Hospitals 5 No. of Schools 16 No. of Libraries 17 No. of Temples 30 No. of Mosques 15 No. of Social & Cultural clubs 61

Pandyala Gopalan Master (1920-2000)
Pandyala Gopalan Master, great son of Pinarayi,  was born on April 6, 1920. Up to eighth standard he studied in RC Amala school. He become attracted to anti-imperialist movements and freedom struggle in the early years itself. When he was a 4th standard student he participated in Toddy shop picketing at Pinarayi. Picketing was conducted under the leadership of Pinarayi Krishnan Nair and Sankaran Nambiar (elder brother of AKG). Even at the age of 16 he was a fire brand speaker in public meetings. In 1930s he actively participated in peasant movement and was an active leader of 'Karshaka sanghom'.In 1936 he joined in Kelalur LP school as a teacher.   In 1937 he become a member of Kottayam taluk congress Committee. For distracting betrayers and police from Communist Party formation conference at Parapram, he called on a teachers conference at Pinarayi at the same time. After Thalassery firing on 1940 September 15, he was the main speaker in 15 corner meetings on the same day. In 1953 he joined in Pinarayi Sarada vilasam School as a teacher and retired from there in 1975. He served as the president of the Panchayat from 1979 to 1994 and contributed a lot to the development of Pinarayi. He left this world on August 20, 2000.

Panchayat Presidents

1961-1964	Sri. Kunhukutty master
1964-1967	Sri. TV Achuthan Nair
1967-1979	Sri. P Nanu
1979-1994	Sri. Pandyala Gopalan master
From 1995	Sri. Kakkoth Rajan

Educational Institutions
Even before 150 years Pinarayi was having primary education facility. Kulathumkara village school that was established in 1840's  by Therela Kannan Gurikkal was later renamed as Therala lower primary school. But in 1992 state Government closed down this school arguing that it is uneconomical. RC Amala Basic UP school is having an important place in the educational history of Pinarayi. It was founded in 1919 by Roman Catholicon Christian missionary Mr. Fernandes. It was the first school in this village that provided English education and the students were coming from neighboring villages also. on 10th June 1977 a high school was inaugurated at Pinarayi in the memory of great communist leader AKG. School campus is having an area of 3 acres and 15 cents. Later this school was upgraded to Higher secondary. High school and higher secondary studies are offered mainly by A.K.G Memorial Higher secondary school.  Except this High school all the other schools were established in first part of 19th century. Totally there are 9 lower primary schools and 6 upper primary schools and all these are under private management. There is no technical institution in this village. Computer training facility is being offered by Pinarayi Electronics Industrial co-operative society (PELISO). Three parallel colleges are there in this Panchayat. Vengatteri Sankaran, Rairu Gurikkal and VV Kunhikkannan Nambiar were among famous teachers of that time.

Panunda UP School	Panunda LP School
Kozhoor UP School	Venduttayi LP School
Ummenchira Mappila LP School	AKG Memorial Govt. Higher secondary School
Kizhakkumbhagam junior basic school	Ganapathi Vilasam Basic UP School
Padannakkara UP School	Kolad junior UP School
Saradavilasam junior basic School	RC Amala basic UP School
Cherikkal junior basic school	Pinarayi west basic UP School
Pinarayi Mappila junior basic School	Parapram junior basic School

Industries & Co-operative Societies
Pinarayi is an industrially backward village. Modern industrial establishments are not there. But Co-operative sector is very strong and it compensated to industrial backwardness to an extent. This village is considered to be having the highest number of Co-operative societies  in India. Around 35 co-operative societies are there in this village. First co-operative society of this village was started in 1922. Totally there are 3 credit societies, 16 industrial co-operative societies, 6 school co-operative societies and 2 others. Peoples are the ultimate decision makers and investors in these societies. These societies  are providing service in almost every aspect of life like banking, education, printing, milk and public distributions, garments manufacturing, hotels, health care, recreations, markets and stores, manufacturing, Information Technology etc. Pinarayi Service co-operative bank, Pinarayi Industrial co-operative society, Pinarayi beedi workers Industrial co-operative society (DINESH), Pinarayi women's multi Industrial co-operative society are leading co-operative  societies. More than 2000 peoples are working in beedi manufacturing sector. Pole casting unit in Pinarayi Industrial co-operative society manufactures 7m, 8m and 9m pre stressed concrete poles and supplies to Kerala State Electricity Board for using in the construction of distribution lines. Prominent  leader Com. Pinarayi Vijayan ( Secretary, CPIM Kerala state committee ) is from my Village. As an expert in co-operative sector, he masterminded the development and establishment of co-op societies in Pinarayi.  

Peoples Planning Programme
Peoples planning programme revolutionized  the development of the Panchayat. Pinarayi grama panchayat was chosen as the best panchayat in the district. Its grama sabha meetings registered a consistently high attendance, its 121 neighborhood committees have been active, it has achieved a 100 per cent revenue and tax collection record, and its utilization of plan funds - especially those in the productive sector - has been outstanding. It has been particularly successful in the implementation of its total sanitation programme whereby 2,500 houses have been provided with private latrines. This panchayat is a busy, focused unit of administration that has its ears to the ground. In coming years it is our responsibility to prove that we are among the best in the country.