Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair (Aged 79), born on March 2, 1926, and popularly known as PKV, was the 9th Chief Minister of Kerala and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times, in 1957, 1962, 1967, and 2004, and to the Kerala Legislative Assembly twice, in 1977 and 1980. He was the founder-president of the Travancore Students Union, All India Students Federation (AISF), and All India Youth Federation (AIYF). He remained with the CPI after the split in the Communist movement in 1964 and was elected the party’s State secretary in 1982.
After graduating in Physics, he went to study law at Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram. PKV had his baptism in politics during his student days as an activist of the All India Students Federation (AISF). He joined the Communist Party of India in 1945, like many young radicals of his time who thought Congress was too moderate and pro-rich. The subsequent years saw him evolve as a student and youth leader. He was the president of the Travancore Students’ Union in 1947 and elected as President of All Kerala Students Federation in 1948.
PKV was first arrested for making a speech against the royal ruler of Travancore. He was among hundreds of communists who went underground when the Communist Party of India was banned following its adoption of the Calcutta Thesis that called for armed struggle against the ruling government in 1948. PKV had also acted as the president of All India Students Federation, All India Youth Federation (AIYF), and Vice President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
Whether in or out of power, he had always led a simple life and had been accessible to all sections of people. PKV also served as the editor of Janayugom daily, the organ of the Communist Party of India between 1954 and 1957. He passed away on July 12, 2005.
P. K. Vasudevan Nair
(1926 – 2005) – (Kerala)
Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair (Aged 79), born on March 2, 1926, and popularly known as PKV, was the 9th Chief Minister of Kerala and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times, in 1957, 1962, 1967, and 2004, and to the Kerala Legislative Assembly twice, in 1977 and 1980. He was the founder-president of the Travancore Students Union, All India Students Federation (AISF), and All India Youth Federation (AIYF). He remained with the CPI after the split in the Communist movement in 1964 and was elected the party’s State secretary in 1982.
After graduating in Physics, he went to study law at Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram. PKV had his baptism in politics during his student days as an activist of the All India Students Federation (AISF). He joined the Communist Party of India in 1945, like many young radicals of his time who thought Congress was too moderate and pro-rich. The subsequent years saw him evolve as a student and youth leader. He was the president of the Travancore Students’ Union in 1947 and elected as President of All Kerala Students Federation in 1948.
PKV was first arrested for making a speech against the royal ruler of Travancore. He was among hundreds of communists who went underground when the Communist Party of India was banned following its adoption of the Calcutta Thesis that called for armed struggle against the ruling government in 1948. PKV had also acted as the president of All India Students Federation, All India Youth Federation (AIYF), and Vice President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
Whether in or out of power, he had always led a simple life and had been accessible to all sections of people. PKV also served as the editor of Janayugom daily, the organ of the Communist Party of India between 1954 and 1957. He passed away on July 12, 2005.
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