Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday paid tributes to VK Damodaran, founder member of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), who passed away recently. He described the deceased scientist as a visionary who shaped Kerala’s people’s science movement.
He was speaking while inaugurating a condolence meeting held here in memory of Damodaran, who was also an author, science communicator and environmental activist.
The Chief Minister recalled his long association with Damodaran and credited him for playing a vital role in shaping the state’s scientific and technological progress. He added that during his brief stint as power minister in 1996, he had the opportunity to work closely with Damodaran, who he said had “VDK” in the power sector.
Deep admiration
During this period, he witnessed the respect that Damodaran enjoyed among scientists around the world. During the global conferences they attended together, he observed how foreign experts approached Damodaran with deep admiration and recognized his contribution to science and technology.
The chief minister also recounted Kerala’s early collaboration with China on small power projects, an initiative in which Damodaran played a key role. However, he admitted that the difference in working styles between the two countries limits the scope of these collaborations.
“Chinese engineers were used to completing projects ahead of schedule, while Kerala’s processes were considerably slower. As a result, some machines imported for these projects later became unusable. Even after my tenure (as minister), the VKD continued to inform me of the challenges involved. Unfortunately, not much progress was made,” he lamented.
Scientific awareness
Mr. Vijayan also appreciated Damodaran’s deep commitment to promote scientific awareness in the society. From his early role as a founding leader of the KSSP and editor of its scientific journals such as Sasthragathi and Sasthra Keralam, and later as a driving force behind many publications, Damodaran shaped scientific literacy for generations.
Among the participants were Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary Binoy Viswam, former general secretary SM Vijayanand, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment executive vice-chairman KP Sudheer and KSSP president TK Meerabai.
Published – 19 Nov 2025 20:27 IST
