Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday paid tributes to V.K. Damodaran, a founding member of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), who passed away recently. He called the late scientist a visionary who shaped Kerala’s people’s science movement.
He was speaking while inaugurating a condolence meeting held here in the memory of Damodaran, who was also an author, science communicator, and environmental activist.
Recalling his long association with Damodaran, the Chief Minister credited him for playing a vital role in shaping the State’s scientific and technological advancement. He added that during his brief tenure as the Electricity Minister in 1996, he had the opportunity to work closely with Damodaran, whom he referred to has ‘VDK,’ in the energy sector.
Deep admiration
During the period, he had witnessed the respect Damodaran enjoyed among scientists from across the world. During global conferences they attended together, he observed how foreign experts approached Damodaran with deep admiration and recognised his contributions to science and technology.
The Chief Minister also recounted Kerala’s early collaboration with China in small-scale power projects, an initiative in which Damodaran played a crucial role. He, however, admitted that the difference in working styles between the two countries limited the scope of these collaborations.
“Chinese engineers were accustomed to completing projects before the deadline, while Kerala’s processes were considerably slower. As a result, some of the machinery imported for these projects later became unusable. Even after my tenure (as Minister), VKD continued to inform me about the challenges involved. Unfortunately, major progress could not be attained,” he lamented.
Scientific awareness
Mr. Vijayan also praised Damodaran’s deep commitment to promoting scientific awareness in society. From his early role as the KSSP’s founding leader and editor of its science magazines such as Sasthragathi and Sasthra Keralam, and later as a guiding force behind numerous publications, Damodaran shaped the scientific literacy of generations.
Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Binoy Viswam, former Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment executive vice-president K.P. Sudheer and KSSP president T.K. Meerabai were among those who attended.
Published – November 19, 2025 08:27 pm IST
