Comrade A. Shantaram Pai

Comrade A. Shantaram Pai was a communist leader and Indian labour union leader from Mangalore. He was born on 18-05-1918 to Alike Vaman Pai and Smt Kalyani Pai of Gowda Saraswat Brahmin community in Mangalore. He was president of South Canara Trade Union Council. He persued his primary education in Ganapathy High School and Intermediate in St. Aloysius College, Mangalore.

Shantaram Pai was impressed with Congress party and freedom Struggle when he was in college. He left college and joined freedom struggle. He did all the secret works of party faithfully and came very close to party leaders. So he was appointed at their head office. British Government removed ban on Communist party in 1942. In 1943, he started to organise the labour union in South Canara district. He organised a union of workers of Printing Press, Beedi industry, Tile factory, Cashew, Arecanut, Coffee and Muncipal workers with the help of other leaders. South Canara trade Union Council was established in the year 1945 and Shantaram became joint secretary of the council. He was imprisoned because of active part in party work. After Independence, he was engaged in Goa Freedom Revolution (1955), Food Revolution (1956), First Parliament Election (1957), Second election (1962), Public awareness aginst China during 1962 War. He was President of Mangalore Productivity Council. He was member of State labour advisery committee. He was member of Central working Committee of AITUC. He was president of Labour Unions of Cashew labourers Union (25 years), Tile Factories of South Canara and Muncipal Workers (15).

Recognition
Comrade A. Shantaram Pai Memorial building was established in Bantwal in the site donated by B. Vishwanath Nayak, leader of Indian Commnist Party of Bantwal Committee in the year 1998. Comrade A. Shantaram Pai road is named in his honour by Mangalore city corporation . In 1983, 32nd Convention of AITUC was held in Bangalore and the place was named in his honour as Comrade A. Shantaram Pai City.