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 Shri.
V.S ACHUTHANANDAN
Resolute. Uncompromising. Clean. No
other words would best describe the almost seven decade long political
life of Sri. V.S. Achuthanandan, Kerala’s new Chief Minister.
Comrade VS to his followers, he carries with him the dreams of the
man on the street.
Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan was born on 20th
October 1923 in Punnapra, Alappuzha to Sri. Sankaran and Smt. Accamma.
Memories of childhood are not that sweet for Achuthanandan. He lost
his mother when he was four and his father seven years later. He
was then supported by his brother Sri. Gangadharan, who ran their
father’s tailoring shop. As the going got tough, he dropped
out of school and started helping his brother. His formal education
ended in Class VII and his initiation into politics followed soon.
Independent struggle, fights against feudalism and caste system
all instilled in him the urge to fight, to revolt and he joined
the State Congress in 1939. A year later, at the age of 17, Achuthanandan
became a member of the Communist Party.
 Experiences
of harassment and exploitation as a worker at the Aspinwal coir
factory made VS an active trade unionist. Recognising his capabilities,
communist stalwart Sri. P.Krishna Pillai deputed Achuthanandan to
organize farm workers against feudalism in Kuttanad, Kerala’s
rice bowl. Under his leadership voices of protest began to be heard
loud. Success in the Sreemoolam Kayal Agitation was pivotal in building
up a farm workers’ movement in the region. Achuthanandan played
an important role in organizing workers for the historic Punnapra-
Vayalar uprising as well. As a consequence of his politics of agitation,
he was imprisoned for five and a half
years and was forced to go underground for four and half years.
He has survived brutal police excesses as well.
At the organizational level, Achuthanandan became the party’s
Alappuzha district secretary in 1952. Here also his tryst with history
continued when he left the CPI National Council along with 31 other
members to form CPI (M) in 1964. From 1980 to 1992 he led the party
in Kerala as its state secretary. He is a member of the party Polit
Bureau since 1985.
Achuthanandan has got elected
to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1970, 1991, 2001 before
becoming Chief Minister in 2006. He was the Leader of Opposition
from 1992 to 1996 and from 2001 till May 2006 and used his position
successfully in raising crucial public issues and fighting corruption.
He now represents Malampuzha Constituency. His
efforts generated immense popular support which contributed to his
elevation as Chief Minister.
Family
Like many communists of his generation, thoughts of a family dawned
rather late on Sri. V.S.Achuthanandan. He was 40 when he married
Smt. Vasumathi, then a staff nurse at the Medical College in Alappuzha.
She retired as Head Nurse 15 years back.
The couple has two children and three grandchildren. Son Sri. Arun
Kumar is assistant director at IHRD and daughter Dr. Asha is scientist
at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram.
Their daughter in law Dr.Rajani is tutor at the Medical College
Thiruvananthapuram and son in law Dr. Thankaraj is surgeon at the
General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
Personal
Details
Education
: Forced to quit studies at Class VII
Languages known : Malayalam and English
Wife
: Smt. K. Vasumathy
Children
: 1 son and 1 daughter
Travels (abroad) : Russia,
China, Mangolia and United Kingdom
Hobbies
: Reading
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