Smt. K.R.Gouri Amma, veteran leader, holds claim as the seniormost member in the XIth Kerala Legislative Assembly. Born on 14.7.1919 as the daughter of Shri. K.A.Raman and Smt. Parvathi Amma, she had her initiation into politics through students movements.

In the early stages of an eventful career spanning over six decades, Smt. Gouri Amma was an active member of Students Federation. Afterwards, she became a lawyer and was subsequently elected to Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly in 1952 and in 1954. Smt. Gouri Amma was elected to the first KLA from Shertalai constituency contesting as a Communist Party candidate. Becoming the Minister for Revenue, Excise and Devaswom in the first ministry of EMS Namboodirippad, she held the chair from April 5, 1957 to July 31, 1959. She was elected to the second KLA also from Shertalai.

She has been representing Aroor Constituency from 3rd KLA to 11th KLA consecutively except the 5th KLA. In the fourth Ministry headed by Shri.E.M.S.Namboodirippad, she held the portfolio of Revenue, Sales Tax, Civil Supplies, Social Welfare and Law from 6.3.1967 to 1.11.1969. She was the Minister for Agriculture and Social Welfare in the E.K.Nayanar Ministry from 25.1.1980 to 20.10.1981. Again, in the Ministry headed by Shri. E.K.Nayanar during 1987-1991, she handled the portfolio of Industries, Social Welfare, Vigilance and Administration of Justice from 2.4.1987 to 17.6.1991.

Smt. Gouri Amma ceased to be a member of CPM in 1994, subsequently leading to her forming a new party, Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithy (JSS). After a short gap , Smt. Gouri Amma again occupied the chair of Minister, in the Ministries headed by Shri. A.K.Antony and later Shri.Oommen Chandy. She held the portfolio of Agriculture and Coir and has been holding it since May 17, 2001. In the course of an illustrious career, Smt. Gouri Amma has held several high positions in all walks of life. She was a member of CPM State Secretariat and was the President of Kerala Karshaka Sangham from 1960 to 1984, and had also been active in the Mahila Sangham as its President and Secretary for almost 20 years. She had also served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee during 1986-87 and Chairman of the Committee on Assurances during 1960- 1961. Presently she is the General Secretary of JSS and leader of its Parliamentary Party.

A true revolutionary in the full sense of the term, and a real champion of the downtrodden, she was always in the forefront of agitations against oppression, and did not fear to even court arrest and imprisonment, for the successful culmination of the objectives for which she stood. Also widely acclaimed as the Chief Architect of land reforms which heralded the end of feudalism in Kerala, Smt. Gouri Amma is one of the few leaders in the history of Kerala who sacrificed everything in life for the cause of the people.

The veteran leader and Parliamentarian Shri. T.V. Thomas was her husband.