Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair (2 March 1926 – 12 July 2005), 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 became Chief Minister on 20 October 1978, following A. K. Antony's resignation as Chief Minister. However he resigned on 7 October 1979 owing to differences with other parties in the United Front. 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. Early life and education He was born in Kidangoor village in Kottayam, Kerala to a Hindu Nair family of Kesava Pillai and Nanikutty Amma. He was their eldest child. He began his political life as a student activist while studying in Union Christian College, Aluva, when the whole country was in upheaval having entered the final phase of freedom struggle. After graduating in Physics he went on 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). Political career Youth politics He joined the Communist Party of India in 1945 like many young radicals of his time who thought Congress were too moderate and pro-rich. The subsequent years saw him evolve as a student and youth leader. He was the president of Travancore Students' Union in 1947 and elected as President of All Kerala Students Federation in 1948. Politics in Travancore-Cochin state 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. He took part in underground activities from 1948 to 1951 and was arrested in 1951 in connection with students' movement. P K Vasudevan Nair and Balraj Sahani backed the idea of All India Youth Federation. Delhi's firebrand youth leader, Guru Radha Kishan was very active in organising the first national conference of AIYF in Delhi, this