How VS Shaped Kerala's Free and Open Source Software Movement

Achuthanandan's deep-rooted communist ideology found a natural and powerful ally in the FOSS philosophy

- RAJESH RAVI @Kochi

While V.S. Achuthanandan is primarily remembered for his long and impactful political career, his legacy also profoundly shaped Kerala's engagement with the global Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement. His deep-rooted communist ideology, with its inherent opposition to monopoly and proprietary control, found a natural and powerful ally in the FOSS philosophy.

VS came into contact with the proponents of free software during his time as LDF convener, when E.K. Nayanar was the chief minister, from 1996 to 2001. Krishnadas Menon, a former SFI leader with Thrissur Engineering College and an active member of the People's Planning Campaign (PPC), revealed that the initiative to network local bodies in Kerala sparked the idea of using free software as a political tool.