Former Kerala chief minister and Communist veteran V.S. Achuthanandan was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, June 23 morning, after he suffered a heart attack. He turned 101 years old on October 20, 2024. He was taken to the hospital after complaining of physical discomfort. His health condition is said to be stable as of now, according to reports. He had been unwell for a long time and was leading a quiet, retired life.

Comrade VS

Fondly known as VS, Achuthanandan served as the Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011 and held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly for 15 years. Achuthanandan was a strong and influential figure in Kerala politics for many years. Born in 1923 in Punappara, Alappuzha, he came from a family of agricultural workers. In 1964, he left the national council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and became one of the founding members of the breakaway party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M).

The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, often referred to as Kerala’s October Revolution, was a major protest against the Diwan of Travancore’s attempt to establish self-rule and adopt the American model of governance. During this time, Mr. Achuthanandan was assigned to work underground to organise people for the movement. However, he was arrested in Poonjar and subjected to severe custodial torture at the Pala police station.