Mohanlal and Mammootty's emotional goodbye to VS Achuthanandan: He will never die in our minds'
penned an emotional farewell note to former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who passed away on Monday at the age of 101. Taking to Facebook, Mohanlal remembered the late leader as a 'people's hero' who dedicated his life to the struggles of the common man.
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'A tearful tribute to the people's hero, beloved comrade VS, who made his life a struggle… He will never die in the minds of Malayalis,' wrote Mohanlal.
Mohanlal's Facebook note in Malayalam read, "ജീവിതം തന്നെ സമരമാക്കിയ ജനനായകന്‍, പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട സഖാവ് വി.എസ്സിന്‌ കണ്ണീരില്‍ കുതിര്‍ന്ന ആദരാഞ്ജലികള്‍. സാധാരണക്കാരുടെ പ്രതീക്ഷയും, പ്രത്യാശയുമായി തിളങ്ങി നിന്ന ആ മഹത് വ്യക്തിത്വവുമായി എക്കാലത്തും സ്നേഹബന്ധം പുലര്‍ത്താനായത് ഭാഗ്യമായി ഞാന്‍ കാണുന്നു.
മൂന്ന് തവണ പ്രതിപക്ഷ നേതാവായും, ഒരു തവണ മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയായും സേവനമനുഷ്ഠിച്ച അദ്ദേഹം നിലപാടുകളിലും ആദര്‍ശത്തിലും എക്കാലവും ഉറച്ചുനിന്നു.
മലയാളിയുടെ മനസ്സില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്‌ മരണമില്ല". ("The people's leader who turned life itself into a struggle – heartfelt tributes in tears to our beloved comrade V.S. I consider it a blessing to have always shared a bond of love with that great personality who stood as a beacon of hope and faith for the common people.
Serving three times as the Leader of the Opposition and once as the Chief Minister, he always remained steadfast in his principles and ideals. In the hearts of Malayalis, he will never die.")
wrote on Facebook, "പ്രിയ സഖാവ് വി.എസ്. അച്യുതാനന്ദന് ആദരാഞ്ജലികൾ". ("Tribute to beloved Comrade V.S. Achuthanandan")
Manju Warrier took to Instagram and wrote, "I once read that V.S. Achuthanandan had an unhealed scar on his foot — a mark left by a bayonet during the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, a living memory of that struggle.
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It was with that very foot that he walked into the hearts of the people. And because he carried that wound in every step, he remained a fighter forever. His stance on women's safety was not just progressive, but a necessity of the times.
A heartfelt tribute to the leader who gave true meaning to his name."
VS Achuthanandan: The people's own warrior leader
Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, fondly known as VS, passed away at 3:20 pm on July 21 at SUT Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
The veteran CPM leader had been undergoing treatment since June 23 due to age-related ailments. He was 101.
A towering presence in Kerala politics, Achuthanandan served as Chief Minister once and Leader of the Opposition three times, remaining firm in his ideals and a symbol of resistance and reform. His family — wife Vasumathi and children V A Arunkumar and V V Asha — were by his side during his final moments.
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