K.R. Aravindakshan, Communist Marxist Party (CMP) general secretary, is no more. He was 65.
One of the idealistic youth leaders produced by the campus of the 1970s and 80s, Mr. Aravindakshan, or ‘KR’ for his huge circle of friends, was one of the fastest rising stars of the Left student and youth movements till he made the ‘big mistake’ of supporting M.V. Raghavan in the ideological and personal wrangling that marked the CPI(M) in the mid-1980s. He had been among the top leaders of the CMP ever since its inception in 1987.
He was the district secretary of the Students Federation of India (SFI) while in college and district secretary and later State vice president of the Kerala State Youth Federation (KSYF), the forerunner of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He was one of the youngest secretariat members of the CPI(M) when he parted ways along with Raghavan.
After the formation of the CMP, he was a permanent member of the party central committee. Later, after the party aligned with the Congress-led coalition, Mr. Aravindakshan had served as president of the State Cooperative Bank twice and also as president of the National Apex Federation of State Cooperative Banks.
However, ever since the demise of his mentor Raghavan, the party had experienced a vertical split with C.P. John siding with the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Mr. Aravindakshan toeing the Left line.
He had been suffering from indifferent health for the past many years and had complained of uneasiness and was admitted to AKG Hospital in Kannur where he was attending various party programmes on Tuesday. From there, he was taken to a private hospital in Kozhikode and later shifted to another private hospital as his condition further deteriorated. His end came at 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday.
Last respects
His body was brought to his home town by Wednesday noon and placed at the Urban Bank hall for the public to pay their last respects. Hundreds of people from all walks of life and leaders cutting across political colour thronged the hall to bid adieu to him.
Born into a middle class family at Koorali, near Ponkunnam, Mr. Aravindakshan had shifted to Kottayam town and was residing at Thirunakkara.
He leaves behind wife Usha and son Arun and daughter Akhila.
The cremation will take place in his house compound at 12 noon on Thursday.