VS—The fighter, inquirer, learner and dreamer- V K Mathews (Executive Chairman, IBS Software & Chairman, Group of Technology Companies, Kerala)

Trivandrum / July 23, 2025

Passing away of former Chief Minister and Marxist stalwart V.S. Achuthanandan marks the end of a political era, defined by struggle, strife, and a relentless march toward Kerala’s social progress. He left a distinct and lasting imprint on the post-independence history of Kerala

Though Kerala has seen many prominent politicians during this period, V.S. Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy stand out as mass leaders in true sense. While Oommen Chandy will be remembered for his compassion for the poor and support for development and industry VS will be identified with his unwavering fight against exploitation, injustice, and for the rights of workers. He was a product of his time.

All through his life, VS remained committed to a vision based on Marxism-Leninism, a perspective shaped by the socio-economic conditions of his formative years and his own early life. He was a fighter, always. And he fought for causes and ideals he firmly believed in. People essentially saw him as a hero fighting for their cause. For him, the fight itself was a way of serving the people.

Whether one agrees with all that he stood and fought for or not, there is no denying that he was a charismatic leader among the grass roots.

I had the opportunity to engage closely with him during his tenure as Chief Minister and as Leader of the Opposition. For IBS Software, and for me personally, we always enjoyed his support. There was only one instance where he misunderstood a situation — but once the facts were known, he extended his full backing. There are many fond memories of that association. He laid the foundation stone of our Trivandrum campus in 2006 — his very first official function after taking charge as Chief Minister — and later returned to inaugurate the completed facility.

I also served on his IT Advisory Board during that period. He was involved in our charity foundation’s initiatives as well.

I recall taking the Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (USA) to meet him at Cliff House during the delegation’s visit to India. VS was visibly intrigued and spent over an hour in animated conversation — despite the language barrier — asking curious questions like a child. He wanted to know if such a world-class research facility could be built in Kerala. A side of VS many never saw — the inquirer, the learner, the dreamer.

I found him most warm and happy when the lab director later shared that the best part of his India trip was visiting the Divine Children’s Home in Thiruvananthapuram — a home for children supported by IBS. VS later graciously inaugurated the fully completed facility, once again showing that causes truly mattered to him.

I was also fortunate to experience his affection once — on a rare occasion when he was having a meal at our campus, during the facility’s inauguration. I realised that VS couldn’t have common salt (sodium), something he had avoided for years. He quietly shared his age-related health challenges — he was 85-plus then. For a moment, I felt a deep sense of empathy for him, for all the effort he was putting in at that age. I told him gently to take care of his health. He placed his hand on mine and looked at me with warmth, as if acknowledging the gesture. I saw his eyes well up. And I was moved.

Your ideals, your actions — and your contradictions, fights, and disruptions — influenced Kerala’s political, social, and industrial landscape. Let others debate your legacy. But if today’s Kerala is a better place — a little more just, a little more heard, a little more egalitarian— then you can truly be proud of your life.

Goodbye, VS. You have left your mark on the history of this land.

Ends