Kozhikode: In an electoral journey that spans borders and histories, Kasaragod residents Nanda Poojari and her 87-year-old mother Savithri carry an electoral memory few can claim—they have been voters in both India and Pakistan.
Their extraordinary life journey, shaped by migration, identity and the aftershocks of Partition, has enabled them to witness the battle of ballots in both countries.
The mother-daughter duo is arguably the only Hindu family from Kerala to have, by a twist of fate, become Pakistani citizens, return to India, and eventually reclaim Indian citizenship. After coming back, it took them nearly a decade to secure citizenship, finally granted in 2019—restoring not just their status in their homeland, but also their right to vote.
Nanda recalls casting her vote at least twice in Pakistan. "I had become a voter there when I turned 18. The elections there are not as spirited as they are here," she said. "In Kerala, elections are lively and vibrant. Party workers and candidates reach out directly to voters. There is a sense of energy and involvement that I did not see there." Since regaining Indian citizenship, Nanda and her mother have participated in every election, including local body polls, acutely aware of the value of their franchise.
The family's story begins decades earlier. Nanda's father, Krishna Poojari, was taken to Karachi from Badiadukka in Kasaragod before Partition, when he was just 14, to work in a bakery run by a Mangaluru-based businessman. After Partition, he acquired a Pakistani passport, which he used to travel back home.
In 1962, he returned to Kasaragod on a visit visa, married Savithri, and took her back to Karachi. The couple settled there, and their two children, including Nanda, were born and brought up in the city.
Krishna Poojari passed away in 1988. More than two decades later, in 2009, Savithri and her daughters returned to Kasaragod. Poojari's brother Suresh (59) is still in Pakistan, and he has not been able to visit her mother for the last 12 years due to visa constraints.
"He visited us twice after we moved back," Nanda said. "The last time was in 2014. Since then, he hasn't been able to get a visa," said Poojari. Savithri, now in her late eighties, still hopes to see her son again.
Rajeev K R is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Times of India w...
Read MoreRajeev K R is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Times of India with over two decades of experience in journalism. He has been covering Malabar districts for TOI. He writes of a range of subjects including politics, environment, education etc. He holds a Master's degree in Journalism from University of Calicut. Rajeev had worked with The New Indian Express and served as Information Officer at the Ruler's Court in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE before joining Times of India.
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