At 111, Kuppuchi of Vellikoth in Kerala's Kasargod is excited as she looks forward to getting inked again. Fondly known as "Kuppachiamma", she holds the distinction of being Kasaragod's oldest voter. Her journey began with Kerala's inaugural assembly election in 1957 - long before some of the candidates were born.
For years, Kuppuchi diligently visited the polling booth early to cast her vote. However, in the last election, due to age-related difficulties, she opted to vote from the comfort of her home. This time too, she will be casting vote from home.
Kuppuchi fondly recalls, "I went to cast my vote for the first time with my father."
She admires and respects Kerala's first chief minister EMS Namboodiripad, who was famous for his agrarian reforms. Kuppachiamma continues to be a staunch supporter of the Communist ideology. She even contributed to the fundraising efforts for the local CPI-M branch office from her frugal pension fund. In 2022,the EC honoured Kuppachiamma for her unwavering commitment to democracy.
