One of the most vocal chief ministers Kerala has ever seen, VS Achuthanandan was a grassroots leader who created history by being one of the people who split from the old Communist Party to form the CPI(M).
VS Achuthanandan Despite the heavy clouds hanging over Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, July 21, the skies held back their rain as a large crowd quietly gathered outside the AKG Centre. It was unusually quiet, as though nature itself had taken a moment to show respect. Along a narrow route, thousands of people stood shoulder to shoulder. A thunderous chorus erupted as the hearse emerged into the distance: “Kanne Karale VS-ey!”—Our ”dear VS! The cry, a potent symbol of group sorrow and unity, reverberated for minutes.
The much-feared news was confirmed later that afternoon: the 101-year-old veteran leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), VS Achuthanandan, had died. He left behind a huge legacy. His rise from grassroots activism to the state’s highest office was nothing short of legendary, making him one of Kerala’s most well-known political figures. He was the sole surviving figure from the group of 32 who originally founded the CPI(M). VS Achuthanandan
He was the tallest of Kerala’s communist stalwarts. He has lived for more than a century without ever being charged with corruption, which is uncommon in Indian politics. The crowd’s emotional outburst transcended politics and represented a strong bond between the populace and a man who had dedicated his life to his cause and his country.
“He was an ideal to us all, a rare soul,” remarked Murukesan, a retired government official who was in queue for a last look at VS. “He gave everything to his party and his land and never once strayed from the path.”
Another retired officer, Gopinathan, revealed, “VS served as our conscience for a lot of us. He was our light even when we questioned the ideology. He never spoke down to us, even when he was in a position of authority. VS Achuthanandan
On the ground, the disciplined atmosphere was astounding; thousands of people were bound together by respect rather than commands. A young child, perhaps five or six years old, sat on someone’s shoulders, silent and wide-eyed, aware of the gravity of the situation. People chanted around her:
“Inquilab Zindabad!”
“Comrade VS will never die!” Who claims he’s disappeared? He lives on within us.
carried in the very blood that runs through our veins. At the edges, a queue of police officers and volunteers wearing red shirts kept the peace. However, the throng naturally moved aside to give VS’s hearse space when the time came. Close behind were police cars and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s vehicle. CM Vijayan and CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby stood at the AKG Hall entrance, waiting for VS’s final homecoming to the place where his voice had once echoed with power.
The CPI(M) branch secretary from Punnapra, N. Babu, stood nearby in silence, staring at the gate. To him, VS wasn’t merely a leader—he was a living legend. Long before Babu ever comprehended politics, he was impacted by stories about VS’s involvement in the Punnapra-Vayalar revolt in 1946, his imprisonment, and the horrific torture he endured.
Kerala’s political history underwent a sea change with the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising in 1946. Famine, exploitative land regulations, and the Dewan’s demand for a pro-American independent Travancore were the catalysts for the peasant uprising against C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, the Dewan of Travancore, who faced a rebellion led by the communists. Hundreds were killed during the brutal crackdown that put an end to the uprising, which started in Punnapra and ended in Vayalar. A young party worker at the time, VS was beaten and left for dead, but he lived. VS Achuthanandan
“I wasn’t even born when the uprising happened,” remarked Babu. However, I grew up hearing about VS’s arrest, beatings, and perseverance. I was shaped by their stories. They inspired me to have faith in the ideology. He was more than just a leader in Punnapra; he was a living example of history.
Leaders mixed with the mob; Thomas Isaac of CPI(M) and Pannyan Raveendran, the head of CPI, fit right in. Young and old stood together in the cold, sharing space and feeling with one another.
Wayanad teacher Sherin stated, “My parents, who are both ardent communists, were unable to attend, so I’m here. As a child, I witnessed their fire. For us, VS is more than just a leader. He is an emotion. VS Achuthanandan
Leela, a sanitation worker from Thiruvananthapuram, said, “He lived a righteous life, and that’s why he lived for 101 years. A life like that gives something back in the end.”
VS was honoured with banners and badges pinned to saris and shirts. A photograph of him standing guard over the wave of people, grinning warmly and unflinchingly, was displayed on a pole above. One of his previous lectures was playing softly on someone’s phone: VS Achuthanandan
“The blood that flows through us is human blood; there is no Christian, Hindu, or Muslim blood in us.” VS Achuthanandan