<p>Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (PTI) Veteran Communist leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, hailed as Kerala's "revolutionary sun" by his followers, turned 101 on Sunday.</p>.<p>Currently leading a retired life at his home here, Achuthanandan's birthday passed without much celebration this year also.</p>.<p>Leaders including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan extended their birthday greetings to the Communist veteran by sharing photos of Achuthanandan, affectionately called 'Comrade VS' by party workers, on their Facebook pages.</p>.<p>Several leaders, including Govindan and ministers V Sivankutty and G R Anil, visited Achuthanandan at his residence.</p>.Congress hits out at Kerala CM Vijayan over silence on Kannur ADM's death.<p>His son, V A Arun Kumar, said that for every birthday, the family make payasam (a traditional sweet).</p>.<p>This time too, there was payasam, followed by a cake-cutting attended by close family members. There were no other celebrations.</p>.<p>Born on October 20, 1923, in a worker's family in Punnapra, Alappuzha district, Achuthanandan completed education up to Class VII.</p>.<p>He entered politics through trade union activities in the erstwhile Travancore and joined the State Congress in 1939.</p>.<p>In 1940, he became a member of the Communist Party. As a Communist party member, he faced many challenges, including being imprisoned for five years and six months, and spending four and a half years underground.</p>.<p>In 1964, he was among the 32 leaders who left the CPI National Council to form the CPI(M).</p>.<p>He served as the secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M) from 1980 to 1992.</p>.<p>Elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1970, 1991, and 2001, he also served as Leader of the Opposition from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2005.</p>.<p>In 2006, Achuthanandan won from the Malampuzha constituency and became the 20th Chief Minister of Kerala. </p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (PTI) Veteran Communist leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, hailed as Kerala's "revolutionary sun" by his followers, turned 101 on Sunday.</p>.<p>Currently leading a retired life at his home here, Achuthanandan's birthday passed without much celebration this year also.</p>.<p>Leaders including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan extended their birthday greetings to the Communist veteran by sharing photos of Achuthanandan, affectionately called 'Comrade VS' by party workers, on their Facebook pages.</p>.<p>Several leaders, including Govindan and ministers V Sivankutty and G R Anil, visited Achuthanandan at his residence.</p>.Congress hits out at Kerala CM Vijayan over silence on Kannur ADM's death.<p>His son, V A Arun Kumar, said that for every birthday, the family make payasam (a traditional sweet).</p>.<p>This time too, there was payasam, followed by a cake-cutting attended by close family members. There were no other celebrations.</p>.<p>Born on October 20, 1923, in a worker's family in Punnapra, Alappuzha district, Achuthanandan completed education up to Class VII.</p>.<p>He entered politics through trade union activities in the erstwhile Travancore and joined the State Congress in 1939.</p>.<p>In 1940, he became a member of the Communist Party. As a Communist party member, he faced many challenges, including being imprisoned for five years and six months, and spending four and a half years underground.</p>.<p>In 1964, he was among the 32 leaders who left the CPI National Council to form the CPI(M).</p>.<p>He served as the secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M) from 1980 to 1992.</p>.<p>Elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1970, 1991, and 2001, he also served as Leader of the Opposition from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2005.</p>.<p>In 2006, Achuthanandan won from the Malampuzha constituency and became the 20th Chief Minister of Kerala. </p>