Kerala’s Red Titan V. S. Achuthanandan Passes Away at 101

By Amit Kumar

Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan — fondly known across Kerala and beyond as V. S. passed
away on Monday at the age of 101, marking the end of a remarkable era in Indian Left politics.

A revolutionary who dedicated over eight decades to public life, V. S. was the last surviving member
among the 32 leaders who broke away from the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1964 to form the
Communist Party of India (Marxist), etching his name permanently into the political history of the
country.

Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha (then part of Travancore), V. S.’s early life was
marked by hardship. Orphaned by the age of 11, he left school after 7th standard to help his brother
in a tailoring shop and later worked in a coir factory. These formative years in the working-class
trenches laid the foundation for his lifelong commitment to labour rights and social justice.

He entered politics through trade union activism and joined the State Congress in 1938, later
switching to the CPI in 1940. Over the years, he faced multiple imprisonments and spent years
underground during politically turbulent times.

In 2006, at the age of 82, he became Kerala’s 11th Chief Minister, the oldest to hold that post in the
state’s history. He led a widely respected government focused on anti-corruption, land reform, and
pro-people policies. Prior to this, he served as Leader of the Opposition for 15 years, a record in
Kerala’s political annals.

Though removed from the CPI(M) Politburo in 2009 for his independent stance on several issues, he
remained an influential figure within the party and among the masses.

Since suffering a minor stroke in 2019, V. S. had been living away from public life at his son V. Arun
Kumar’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.

He is survived by his wife K. Vasumathy, daughter V. V. Asha, and son V. A. Arun Kumar.
V. S. Achuthanandan’s passing leaves a void in Indian politics, one shaped by integrity, resilience, and
an unyielding commitment to the cause of the common man.