VS Achuthanandan, the veteran Communist leader who passed away on Monday at the age of 101, is remembered not only as a towering political figure but also as a deeply rooted family man whose life blended revolutionary ideals with unwavering personal discipline.

Achuthanandan, often referred to by his initials VS, served as the 11th Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011. He was 82 when he took office, making him the oldest person to assume the role in the state’s history. But behind the fiery public persona was a man of quiet rituals and strong familial bonds, as recalled by his wife, K Vasumathy, affectionately known as "Vasumathy sister".

“He has been a party worker since a young age. Never has a day passed without being near the people. It is definitely hard for him to be away from the public. Everyone knows VS Achuthanandan the revolutionary. He has gone through a lot of challenges including going into hiding and being jailed. At home, he is more than a communist, a loving family man who hasn't changed whether he was the party secretary, the chief minister, or the leader of the opposition,” Vasumathy once shared in an interview.

In his later years, age-related ailments limited his mobility and confined him largely to his residence. Yet, his curiosity and engagement with the world never waned, he remained keenly interested in global affairs and current events, according to his family.

Born on October 20, 1923, to a family of agricultural labourers in Punnapra, Alappuzha, then part of the princely state of Travancore, VS Achuthanandan’s early life was shaped by adversity. He lost his mother at the age of four and his father by eleven, forcing him to abandon his education after completing the seventh standard. To support himself, he first assisted his elder brother in a tailoring shop and later worked at a coir factory, twisting fibres into ropes. These early struggles played a pivotal role in shaping his enduring commitment to labour rights and land reform.

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VS Achuthanandan and wife Vasumathy

His political activism was rooted in the Communist Party of India (Marxist), with which he remained associated throughout his career. Achuthanandan was a prominent figure in Kerala’s land struggle movement, notably initiating the Alappuzha Declaration in 1970 that called for the enforcement of the EMS government's Land Reforms Act of 1967. Over time, he earned a reputation as a fiery orator, a tireless organiser, and a principled opponent.

Yet at home, he was far removed from political rhetoric. “I knew how the comrade’s life and work were and that’s why when the wedding proposal came, I already knew what to expect. Politics and personal life never mixed at home. He is not someone who is affected by defeat, victory, or controversies. We don’t talk politics at home and often I learn something only when I read the news,” Vasumathy said, offering a rare glimpse into the private side of the iconic leader.

The couple married on July 18, 1967. In a telling anecdote, Vasumathy recalled how Achuthanandan left the very next day to attend a legislative session in Thiruvananthapuram, highlighting his unflinching commitment to public service. “I was already familiar with his world. I’d heard his speeches and understood what it meant to marry someone dedicated to the party,” she said.

During the Emergency, Vasumathy visited him in jail in Thiruvananthapuram, a memory that still stands out. Despite the political turbulence, she described him as someone who remained unshaken by defeat, victory, or controversy.

Achuthanandan served as Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly for a record 15 years and held the position of Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission from 2016 to 2021, with cabinet rank.

He is survived by Vasumathy, their daughter VV Asha and son VA Arun Kumar. On October 20, 2023, he became the first former Kerala chief minister to turn 100, a milestone widely celebrated across the state.