Kochi: Veteran Communist and noted journalist Berlin Kunjananthan Nair, 96, passed away at Kannur in North Kerala on Monday.
He was suffering from old age ailments and was an acute diabetic. Born on November 26, 1926, he started taking interest in politics while in school.
Initially he was attracted to the Congress and later migrated to Communist party which he joined when he was only 17 years at the first Communist party meeting in Bombay in May, 1943.
Legendary communist leader P Krishna Pillai was his role model. He was associated with first Communist Chief Minister E M S Namboodiripad and A K Gopalan.
Nair carried out research in communism in communist countries including erstwhile USSR. Later, he focused on journalism and worked for various publications including Blitz and communist publication Deshabhimani from Berlin in Germany.
His association with former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan earned him the wrath of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he was party secretary.
Nair had severely criticised CPM for its stand on the killing of one time leftist T P Chandrashekharan who was killed after he left CPM.
However, a few months ago he praised Pinarayi Vijayan as the best Chief Minister.
