Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: V.S. Achuthanandan, a veteran communist leader, freedom fighter, and former Chief Minister of Kerala, passed away on July 21, 2025, at the age of 101.
V.S. died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where he had been under treatment since last month following a cardiac arrest. Despite efforts by doctors, his condition had remained critical.
Achuthanandan served as the 11th Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011 and later as the Leader of the Opposition. He had withdrawn from public life in 2019 after suffering a minor stroke and had been living with his son, V.A. Arun Kumar, at their residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
A Sea of Humanity bids farewell to its comrade, its leader, #VSAchuthanandan, at the old AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram pic.twitter.com/2Ivoslgvxd
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) July 21, 2025
State Mourning and Public Holiday
In recognition of VS Achuthanandan’s Commuisignificant contributions to Kerala’s political and social fabric, the State Government has declared Tuesday, July 22, a public holiday as a mark of respect. The government has also declared a state of mourning, with tributes pouring in from all corners of the political spectrum.
His mortal remains were taken to the AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram for the public to pay their final respects. A public viewing will also be held at the Darbar Hall on July 22, providing citizens another opportunity to bid farewell to the beloved leader.
Following the viewing, the body will be taken to Alappuzha in a funeral procession. The cremation will take place at the Valiya Chudukadu burial ground, concluding the final rites of a statesman who left a lasting imprint on Kerala’s history.
Crusader for the Underdog
Achuthanandan was widely respected for his fierce commitment to justice and progressive causes. As a Leader of the Opposition and later as Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan advocated for environmental conservation, gender equality, wetland protection, better pay for nurses, transgender rights, and the promotion of free software. He was a relentless voice for the marginalized and a symbol of incorruptible public service.
A journey rooted in struggle
Born in 1923 in Punnapra, Alappuzha, into a family of agricultural workers, Achuthanandan faced poverty and hardship from a young age. He lost both parents early, his mother to smallpox, and was introduced to communist ideals by P. Krishna Pillai, whom he later called his ‘guru.’ Achuthanandan’s political activism began at the age of 16, when he joined movements opposing feudal landlords and British rule.
V.S. Achuthanandan was at the forefront of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against the colonial government. Arrested and tortured, he later recounted being bayoneted in the foot and left for dead, saved only by the vigilance of a fellow prisoner.
Party Leadership, Rebellion, and Legacy
V.S. Achuthanandan played a key role in the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1964 after breaking away from the undivided Communist Party. During the Emergency, he was imprisoned for his defiant stance.
As CPI(M) State Secretary and later Chief Minister, he often clashed with party leadership and was removed from the Polit Bureau in 2009 for not adhering to party decisions. V.S. Achuthanandan further defied the party in 2012 by visiting K.K. Rema, the widow of slain CPI(M) rebel T.P. Chandrasekharan, a move that sparked political debate.
Despite criticisms of being ideologically rigid and out of step with modern economic realities, Achuthanandan remained one of the most popular political figures in Kerala. His speeches, laced with sarcasm and rustic charm, made him a favorite among the masses and a frequent subject of satire.
A lasting legacy
On his 100th birthday, CPI(M) leader and dramatist Pirappancode Murali remarked that, “V.S. Achuthanandan is the last of the communists active in politics during the life and times of Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara, and much beyond.”
Achuthanandan is survived by his wife K. Vasumathy, daughter V.V. Asha, son V.A. Arun Kumar, and grandchildren. As Kerala mourns the loss of one of its most iconic political figures, tributes continue to flow in from across the nation, honouring the man who was not just a leader, but a legacy.
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