Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, veteran Communist leader, former Kerala Chief Minister and one of the last towering figures of India’s Left movement, died on Monday at the age of 101. Popularly known as VS, Achuthanandan was widely regarded as one of Kerala’s most charismatic and uncompromising politicians, respected across party lines for his simplicity, personal integrity and fierce advocacy for the common man.
His political career, spanning more than eight decades, made him not just a crowd-puller but also one of the most formidable voices of India’s Left.
Born on 20 October 1923 into a poor family in Alappuzha, Achuthanandan lost his parents at a young age and began working in a tailoring shop and later in a coir factory before joining the Communist movement. He became one of the 32 leaders who split from the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
In 2006, at the age of 82, Achuthanandan led the CPI(M) back to power in Kerala, serving as the state’s Chief Minister until 2011. Known for his unwavering stand on people’s issues, he often defied party lines to champion causes such as environmental protection, anti-corruption campaigns and the rights of the poor and marginalised.
He contested Assembly elections ten times between 1965 and 2016, winning seven. His fiery speeches, deep ties with grassroots movements and dogged commitment to ideology earned him admiration even from political opponents.
Achuthanandan had been ailing and largely away from the public eye in recent years, battling age-related health complications. On his centenary in October 2023, leaders from across the political spectrum paid rich tributes to his life and legacy.
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