Latest news with #Achuthanandan
The Hindu
9 minutes ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Arya Vaidya Sala loses a loyal patron, cherished friend
The passing of veteran Communist leader and former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has left a void for Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, with which he shared a close association. Achuthanandan had strong ties with the Arya Vaidya Sala's top leaders, including P.K. Warrier and P. Madhavankutty Varier, who held him in high regard. Achuthanandan's visits to Arya Vaidya Sala were countless. As a loyal patron of Arya Vaidya Sala, he regularly underwent rejuvenation therapy there. As his health declined, the Arya Vaidya Sala's doctors would visit his residence with the equipment needed for prolonged treatment sessions spanning two to three weeks. 'For about 10 years, we offered him treatment at his residence. Our doctors would lend their services with the treatment accoutrements taken from our Thiruvananthapuram branch,' said Arya Vaidya Sala's head of Materials Department Shailaja Madhavankutty. She fondly recalled that Achuthanandan and the late P.K. Warrier had developed a remarkable bond and forged a lifelong camaraderie. 'They were just three years apart in age. Achuthanandan's relationship with P.K. Warrier went beyond patient-doctor interactions. He would often visit Arya Vaidya Sala not just for treatment, but as a guest, and the two would engage in lengthy conversations that strayed far from medical matters,' said Ms. Madhavankutty. Managing Trustee and Chief Physician P.M. Varier paid tribute to Achuthanandan and described his death as a loss for Arya Vaidya Sala. He also lauded the former Chief Minister's tireless advocacy for the underprivileged.
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hans India
PM Modi condoles death of CPI-M veteran VS Achuthanandan
Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first leaders to offer his condolences to one of India's tallest and oldest living Communist leaders, V.S. Achuthanandan, who passed away at a private hospital here on Monday at 3.20 p.m. Achuthanandan was 101, and as a mark of respect to the departed, the Kerala Government, led by Pinarayi Vijayan, has declared Tuesday a public holiday. PM Modi took to his social media account and wrote, 'Saddened by the passing of former Kerala CM Shri VS Achuthanandan Ji. He devoted many years of his life to public service and Kerala's progress. I recall our interactions when we both served as Chief Ministers of our respective states. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour.' West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote, 'Affectionately known as 'V'" by friends and adversaries alike, Achuthanandan was the last surviving member among the founding leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which was formed in 1964 following a split from the CPI.' Achuthanandan had been battling for his life for over a month after suffering a cardiac arrest at his son's residence in the state capital on June 23. Since then, he had been on ventilator support in the intensive care unit. On Monday evening, the hearse carrying the body of VS was accompanied by Vijayan and a huge convoy of vehicles, and it was with great difficulty that the body was taken to the erstwhile headquarters of the CPI-M- the AKG Centre. Vijayan pointed out that VS will go down in history as one who fought all his life for the people. 'With the passing away of VS, it's the end of a generation and an irreparable loss to the society at large, as such was his strength when he fought for people's rights. His contribution to the party, as a legislator, as the Leader of the Opposition and as Chief Minister will always be remembered. None will ever forget the work he did as a trade union leader,' added Vijayan. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Achuthanandan established himself through his initials VS, and became one of the tallest political leaders in the state. Congress veteran and former Defence Minister A.K. Antony also visited the overflowing AKG Centre to pay his respects. In 2001, when Antony was the Chief Minister and Achuthanandan was the Leader of Opposition on numerous occasions, the two clashed on the floor of the assembly. Maria Oommen, who came under severe attack from VS in the Assembly, took to her social media page and wrote, 'Rest in peace, comrade.' CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, addressing the media after the announcement of his death, outlined the funeral plans. 'The body will be moved to the AKG Centre shortly, which was his political base for decades. It will then be taken to his residence in Thiruvananthapuram. On Tuesday morning, the body will be placed at the Secretariat Durbar Hall for the public to pay their respects. Later in the afternoon, it will be transported to his hometown in Alappuzha,' he said. 'On Wednesday, the mortal remains will be kept at the CPI(M) district office in Alappuzha, and the funeral will be held at the Valiyachudukad cremation ground,' he added. Following the announcement of his death, CPI(M) party flags across the state were lowered to half-mast, and black flags were raised in mourning.
News18
18 minutes ago
- Politics
- News18
How a thief named Kolappan saved V S Achuthanandans life
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 21 (PTI) Long before he became Chief Minister of Kerala, V S Achuthanandan lived through one of the darkest chapters of political resistance in Indian history. Among the many struggles he faced, one moment stands out –when a thief, Kolappan, unknowingly became the man who saved his life. According to accounts carried by Deshabhimani, the mouthpiece of the CPI(M), this extraordinary episode took place in 1946, during the brutal aftermath of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising in coastal Alappuzha against the alleged brutal suppression of people's movement by Diwan Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer who served Travancore monarchy. Achuthanandan had gone underground on party instructions as police cracked down on leaders of the undivided Communist Party. He was eventually captured from a hideout in Poonjar in Kottayam district, betrayed by local rivals, and taken to Pala police lock-up. What followed was nothing short of torture. Policemen, led by a notorious officer, beat him mercilessly, demanding the whereabouts of other senior leaders like E M S Namboodiripad and P Krishna Pillai. He refused to say a word. They tied his hands, beat his legs with sticks, and finally stabbed his leg with a bayonet. Bleeding heavily, Achuthanandan lost consciousness. Thinking he was dead, the police decided to dispose of his body quietly. Since there was no official record of his arrest, they believed they could cover up his death. They wrapped his body in his mundu (dhoti) and placed him under the seat of a police jeep. A thief named Kolappan, also in custody at the time, was made to assist them. The plan was to bury the 'body" somewhere in the forest. But as the jeep moved through the night, Kolappan noticed something — Achuthanandan was still breathing. Kolappan alerted the police that the man they thought was dead was, in fact, alive. The police then rushed him to the government hospital in Pala. He survived — though it took weeks of treatment to recover from the injuries. Soon after, he was re-arrested in connection with another political case and sent to Alappuzha sub-jail. He later served time in Thiruvananthapuram's Poojappura Central Jail as prisoner number 8957. He was released in 1949. Achuthanandan, who died on Monday at the age of 101, carried the scars of this ordeal for the rest of his life — both physical and emotional. PTI TGB TGB KH view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 21:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
18 minutes ago
- Politics
- News18
Rebel leader: V S Achuthanandans impact on CPI(M)
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 21 (PTI) Marxist veteran V S Achuthanandan, who died at a hospital here on Monday, was a rebel and corrective force within his own party and never bothered about disciplinary actions. The contradictory stand that he adopted put the party in a tough position many times, and the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader T P Chandrasekharan was one of such incidents. Chandrasekharan, a former CPI(M) leader who had quit the party following differences with the leadership, was hacked to death by a gang while he was returning home on his bike at Onchiyam in Kozhikode on May 4, 2012. The murder was allegedly masterminded by the local leaders of the CPI(M). Though the party leadership adopted a stand that Chandrasekharan was a 'traitor," Achuthanandan never denounced his former party colleague. When the party argued that the then UDF government's move to order a CBI probe into the gruesome murder was a politically motivated one, VS supported the central agency probe and even wrote to the authorities demanding the same. He even defied the party's directive not to visit Chandrasekhar's house and called on his widow K K Rema on the politically significant day of Neyyattinkara bypoll in the same year. The slain leader's house had witnessed highly emotional scenes on the day when VS came there. Overcome with emotion, Rema wept bitterly, clutching Achuthanandan's folded hands for several seconds. The poignant moment was captured in a photograph that graced the front pages of all major newspapers the following day. Though Achuthanandan refused to speak to the media at the time, his surprise visit–and the subsequent publication of the photo–served as a political statement and a clear response to his party on the matter. An emotional Rema, now the UDF-backed Vadakara MLA, shared the same photo on her Facebook page on Monday as a tribute to the leader, accompanied by a heartfelt note. PTI LGK KH (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 21:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Gulf Today
37 minutes ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Kerala former chief minister VS Achuthaandan dies aged 101
Kerala former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, one of India's most respected Communist leaders and a pivotal figure in Kerala's political history, passed away on Monday at the age of 101. The veteran leader had been undergoing treatment for a cardiac arrest and was on ventilator support for nearly a month. During his time in the intensive care unit, several leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, visited him in the hospital. His Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary, MV Govindan, confirmed Achuthanandan's death at 3:20pm, stating that his mortal remains would be cremated in his hometown in Alappuzha district on Wednesday. Achuthanandan was a founding member of the CPI(M) and dedicated his life to advocating for workers' rights, land reforms, and social justice. He served as Leader of the opposition from 2001 to 2006, challenging the Congress party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by AK Antony. As chief minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011, he was a dynamic force in the state assembly. He was elected seven times and served three terms as Leader of the Opposition. In the 2011 elections, he led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front's (LDF) campaign again but faced a narrow defeat against the UDF, which won 72 out of 140 assembly seats. Returning as leader of the opposition, his leadership played a crucial role in securing a victory for the LDF in the 2016 elections. However, despite winning decisively in Malampuzha, his party rejected his claim for chief minister and instead chose Vijayan. Following his active political career, Achuthanandan alternated his residence between his son's home and his daughter's house after stepping down from the position of chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee in January 2021. Born on Oct.20, 1923, into a family of agricultural workers in Punappara, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan's early life was marked by tragedy. He lost his mother at the age of four and his father when he was eleven. These events led him to enter the workforce early, and he dropped out of school after seventh grade to work in a tailoring workshop and a coir mill alongside his elder brother. Achuthanandan was greatly influenced by senior Communist leaders, particularly P Krishna Pillai, which prompted him to engage in trade union campaigns by 1938. By the age of 18, he had become a member of the CPI. During the 1940s, he was imprisoned for his participation in protests advocating for the rights of workers and farmers against the then-princely regimes in Kerala. In 1964, Achuthanandan and 31 other leaders resigned from the national council of the CPI to establish the CPI(M). He began his electoral career in 1965, contesting from the Ambalapuzha assembly constituency in Alappuzha, but lost by 2,327 votes. Demonstrating resilience, he convincingly won the same seat two years later, defeating his opponent by over 9,500 votes. His tenure as the party's state secretary lasted 12 years, from 1980 to 1992, during which he solidified his role as a leading political figure. Throughout his political career, he contested the Kerala assembly elections ten times, from 1965 to 2016, winning seven of those contests. Known for his charismatic oratory and engaging rallies, he consistently attracted large crowds. In 2007, Achuthanandan faced a significant setback when he was removed from the CPI(M) Polit Bureau for defying the authority of the party's state secretary, highlighting the complex dynamics within the party's leadership.
