Mumbai, July 21: CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achutanandan died Monday, July 21. He was 101. A founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Achuthanandan was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram following a cardiac arrest last month. He was earlier incapacitated following a stroke in 2019.

Achuthanandan, who had turned 101 last October, was the last of  the 32 leaders who walked out of the historical CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the CPI(M). From his early life to political journey, below is the brief profile of the iconic CPI(M) leader. VS Achuthanandan Dies: Veteran Communist Leader and Former Kerala CM Passes Away at 101 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Who Was VS Achutanandan?

Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, known as VS Achuthanandan or simply "VS", was born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha district, Kerala. Orphaned early, he left formal schooling at a very young age and began working as a weaving mill laborer. Achuthanandan was drawn into politics through the farmer and labor movements during pre-independence India, actively participating in landmark struggles like the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against colonial rule and feudal oppression.

Achuthanandan's Political Journey

Achuthanandan began his political journey through the trade union movement in 1938–39, formally joining the Communist Party in 1940. Achuthanandan played a pivotal role in the 1946 Punnapra–Vayalar uprising and spent over five years in prison and four-and-a-half years underground during the state’s crackdown on communists. He became a founding member of the CPI(M) in 1964 following the party’s historic split.

Achuthanandan served as Kerala State Secretary (1980-92), joined the CPI(M) Politburo in 1985, and became Leader of the Opposition for a total of 15 years. Achuthanandan broke new ground when he became Kerala’s 11th Chief Minister in 2006 at the age of 82, the oldest to assume this office in the state. After retiring from active politics in 2019 due to age and health, he remained an iconic figure in Kerala.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2025 04:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).