[3] In February 1938, the Travancore State Congress was formed and Cherian gave up her teaching career to join the struggle for liberty.

Prominent State Congress leaders including its President Pattom A. Thanu Pillai were arrested and put behind bars.

[6] Cherian led a mass rally from Thampanoor to the Kowdiar Palace of the Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma to revoke a ban on State Congress.

[4] The agitating mob also demanded the dismissal of the Dewan, C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar, against whom the State Congress leaders had levelled several charges.

Cherian, along with her sister Rosamma Punnose (also a freedom fighter, M.L.A., and a CPI leader from 1948), was arrested and jailed on 24 December 1939.