Cholakkodan Aysha, hailed as the brand ambassador of Kerala's universal literacy mission, passed away at her residence at nearby Kavannur.
Aysha, 80, had been keeping indifferent health for some time and breathed her last yesterday, family members said. She is survived by six children.
An 'icon' of Kerala's successful literacy campaign which set a model for the entire country, Aysha had declared that Kerala has achieved total literacy on April 18, 1991, at a big public meeting in Kozhikode, in the presence of then Chief Minister E K Nayanar.
Hailing from an educationally and economically backward village, Aysha inspired thousands of women, especially from the Muslim community in the area, to become literate.
After acquiring basic reading and writing skills by attending literacy classes, she later passed the seventh standard equivalent examination due to her studious efforts.
