US EditionThe Rise of VS: Orphaned at 11, Jailed at 23, Chief Minister at 82
KERALA, INDIA, JUL 21 – V.S. Achuthanandan led Kerala's Left Democratic Front to a landmark 2006 victory and served as Chief Minister until 2011, shaping state politics for over eight decades.
- Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan was born in the village of Punnapra, Kerala, in the year 1923, and passed away at the age of 101 on July 21, 2025, in Thiruvananthapuram.
- He experienced early hardships, losing his mother at four and father at eleven, quitting school after seventh grade, and joining the Communist Party at age 17.
- Achuthanandan, who played a key role in establishing the CPI in 1964 after splitting from the CPI, was elected to the Kerala state legislature seven times, led the opposition for a total of 15 years across three terms, and served as the state's chief minister from 2006 to 2011.
- He endured over five years of imprisonment and several years underground, played a key role in land reform movements, chaired Kerala’s Administrative Reforms Commission with cabinet status between 2016 and 2021, and was recognized for his strong stance against the exploitation of natural resources.
- His passing marks the loss of Kerala's longest-serving opposition leader and a pivotal Communist figure whose activism shaped the state's political and social landscape.
43 Articles
43 Articles
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Pays Tributes to Late CPI(M) Leader VS Achuthanandan
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the residence of the late Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former CM VS Achuthanandan, to pay tribute to him. India News | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Pays Tributes to Late CPI(M) Leader VS Achuthanandan.
The rise of VS: Orphaned at 11, jailed at 23, Chief Minister at 82
V S Achuthanandan, a prominent Communist leader from Kerala, dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of the common people.V S Achuthanandan, Kerala, Communist leader, Punnapra, Travancore, political career, KSKTU, chief minister, Indian politician, political activist
Who was VS Achuthanandan? Former Kerala CM, CPI-M leader, voice of Opposition dies at 101
VS Achuthanandan's political career was signified by his voice as an Opposition leader who fought against forest land grabs, illegal lottery scams, and police violence against Adivasi communities
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