Born to Mary and John in 1917 in the coastal hamlet of Chavara in Kollam district, Baby John (25 October 1917 – 27 January 2008) was a senior leader and key figure in Kerala politics for nearly half a century.

He honed his political skills during his college days in Palayamkottai in Tamil Nadu and later in Kochi. During his time at St. Albert’s College, Ernakulam, Baby John made his mark by standing against Diwan Sir C. P. Ramaswamy, leading to his expulsion from college for throwing stones during the Diwan’s speech. As a result, he was barred from continuing his studies in any college in Travancore and later joined Victoria College, Palakkad. It was here that Baby John’s life intertwined with those of political giants like Comrade Kannanthodath Janardhanan Nair and K.C.S. Mani. Staying at the historic Netaji Lodge, Baby John became a protector of political activists hiding after the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising.