Ayillyath Kuttiari Gopalan Nambiar was born on 1 October 1904 in Peralasseri, Kannur District of Northern Kerala and educated in Tellichery.

Gopalan took part in the Khilafat Movement which prompted a marked change in his outlook, transforming him into a dedicated full-time social and political worker.

In 1927 he joined the Indian National Congress and began playing an active role in the Khadi Movement and the upliftment of Harijans.

The lower caste people were not allowed to walk on a public road in Payyannur.

Gopalan and the Keralites led the procession through the public road in front of the Kandoth Thiyya caste Temple (Palliyara) near Payyanur, Kannur.

The lower castes were not allowed by the then Thiyyar chiefs to walk on a public road in Kandoth temple.

As the procession approached the road, a crowd of about 200 people, including young men and women, A.K.

[4] The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 prompted an upsurge in activism against British domination, and Gopalan was again arrested.

Thereafter he was a member of Lok Sabha for 5 consecutive terms till his death on 22 March 1977 and became one of the leaders of opposition parties in the parliament of India.

When the party leadership blocked the publication of an article written by then General Secretary EMS condemning government for attacking the left leaders in the party using the cover of the war, he himself quit the post and supported the left group.

AKG was part of the left group and faced disciplinary action by the party leadership dominated by the right.

During this time a newspaper published a letter allegedly written by rightist leaders S.A Dange to the British during the freedom struggle.

He appealed to Supreme Court under Article 32 of Indian Constitution claiming his fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression and to travel freely in India have been violated.

[9][10][11][12] Later AKG was married to Susheela Gopalan, who was a prominent Marxist and trade union activist, from the Cheerappanchira family.