Pinarayi Vijayan Biography: Early Life, Education, Family and Political Career

Pinarayi Vijayan, born on May 24, 1945, in Pinarayi, Kerala, India, is an influential Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Kerala, representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He holds a degree in economics from Government Brennen College, Thalassery, and has a long history of political activism, starting from his student days and leading to his prominent role in Kerala politics today.

• Name: Pinarayi Vijayan

• Mother's Name: Kalyani Vijayan

• Father's Name: Kandan Vijayan

• Education: Bachelor's degree in economics from Government Brennen College, Thalassery

• Date of Birth: May 24, 1945

• Place of Birth: Pinarayi, Kerala, India

• Occupation/Profession: Politician

• Political Party: Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M)

• Designation: Chief Minister of Kerala

• Spouse: Kamala Vijayan

• Children: Two children, Veena Vijayan and Vivek Vijayan

• Caste & Religion: Thiyya, Hindu

Pinaryani Vijayan Early Life

Pinarayi Vijayan was born on 24th May,1945, in Pinarayi. This is a small village in Kerala. Pinarayi Vijayan is the youngest son of the Maroli Koran and Alakkatt Kalyani. He had 14 siblings of whom only three survived. Their early life was marked by hardship, as he came from a modest background. His name 'Pinarayi Vijayan' echoes in the minds of Keralites as a beacon of resoluteness, unflinching persistence, and ingenuity. He was born into a poor family in the Kannur district. Vijayan's childhood passed in poverty, and he was also grieved by the early death of his father.

Pinaryani Vijayan Education

Pinarayi Vijayan completed his schooling in Pinarayi and then went on to study at the Government Brennen College, Thalassery. There he earned a bachelor's degree in economics. His academic background in economics informed his policy-making decisions throughout his political career.

Pinaryani Vijayan Family

Pinarayi Vijayan, CM of Kerala is married to Kamala Vijayan. The couple has two children: by Veena Vijayan and Vivek Vijayan. Still, the family of such a politically influential person has been rather discrete, and nothing too compromising on Pinarayi Vijayan is known. Daughter of Vijayan is Veena Vijayan active in business as well as information technology field, however, little is known about his son Vivek Vijayan. While the Vijayan family is so culturally inclined that it shunned publicity, Pinarayi Vijayan has been very much a public figure in the Marxist movement.

Pinaryani Vijayan Political Career

Pinarayi Vijayan joined politics while he was studying, he became a member of the Students’ Federation of India which is the student wing of the CPI(M). He was quickly promoted because he was committed and possessed many management qualities. Vijayan has also got prominent tenure responsibilities in the CPI(M) like being a State Secretary. He is the current Chief Minister of the southern Indian state of Kerala, whose term began in May 2016; Marared learnt that he was an excellent administrator with progressive policies on matters concerning women and marginalized groups.

Pinarayi Vijayan Political History/ Timeline

1964: He joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

1968: He was elected to the Kannur district committee of CPI(M).

1970: In this year he won his first Kerala Assembly elections from the Koothuparamba constituency, defeating Thayath Raghavan of PSP.

1972: Became a member of the Kannur district secretariat for CPI(M).

1977: He won the elections from Koothuparamba for the second time, defeating Abdulkadar of the RSP.

1978: He was elected to the CPI(M) Kerala state committee.

1986: He was elected as the CPI (M) Kannur district secretary.

1988: He became a member of the CPI (M) state secretariat.

1991: He won the election from the Koothuparamba for the third time, defeating P Ramakrishnan of the INC.

1996: In this year he won the assembly elections from the Payyannur seat defeating KN Kannoth of the INC.

1996: In mid-1996, he served as the minister of electricity and minister of Co-operatives in Kerala.

1998: He was elected the state secretary of the CPI (M) for Kerala.

2002: He became a member of the politburo the CPI (M).

2016: He was elected as Chief Minister of Kerala after defeating Mambaram Divakaran of the INC in Dharmadom constituency.

2021: Vijayan not only drove the party to a record-breaking comeback to power but also registered victory in the Kerala Assembly elections from the Dharmadam constituency of Kannur district.

2022: The Kerala government, under his leadership, continued to focus on the public health and COVID-19 management, improving healthcare, infrastructure and vaccine distribution and state government also emphasized educational reforms and digital learning initiatives.

2023: Pinarayi Vijayan's administration pushed for further economic development, focusing on sustainable projects and infrastructure development. Significant efforts were made to enhance social welfare programs, including housing projects and welfare schemes for marginalized communities.

2024: Continued to drive initiatives in public health, education, and infrastructure. Pinarayi Vijayan's term was marked by efforts to improve the state's overall economic health and social welfare systems as the LDF prepared for the next electoral challenge.

Pinaryani Vijayan Achievements

• Constructed more than 200000 houses for the destitute and landless people in the state through Life Mission which was launched in 2017.

• Commissioned the commercial scale manufacturing of Kerala’s e-auto ‘Neem-G’: thus entering the Electric Vehicle market.

• He was able to lure 165 companies into IT parks, which produced 50,000 jobs in 1,000 days.

• Decreasing in the public sector Operating Loss from 131 crores of INR in the year 2015-16 to 71. Rs. 34 crores in 2016-17 and this company sustained to realize Rs. 160 crores plus profits within one thousand days only.

• Set up the first associated institute in India with the Global Virus Network.

• Tripled payments for persons with low or no incomes, increased pensions for elderly people.

• Ensured setting up of 45,000 hi-tech classrooms in the public school and provided more than Rs. 2000 crores to revive the public school system.

Pinaryani Vijayan Net Worth

Pinarayi Vijayan's financial disclosures provide a detailed view of his assets and income:Pinarayi Vijayan's financial disclosures provide a detailed view of his assets and income:

Immovable Assets

The said applicant owns immovable assets worth Rs. 5,1,00,000/- only which belongs to Vijayan. 95 lakhs. This includes two plots of a land both containing a house.

Movable Assets:

The movable asset part is estimated to be Rs 2. 04 lakh.

This comprises:

• His movable assets valued at Rs 2.04 lakh including Rs 78,048.51 in his bank account in the SBI, Thalassery Branch.

• 1000 shares worth Rs 10,000 in Malayalam Communication Ltd and shares worth Rs one lakh at KIAL.

• According to the affidavit, his total income is shown as Rs 2,87,860 for 2020-21.

Interesting Facts about Pinarayi Vijayan

Vijayan is known for his disciplined and no-nonsense approach to governance.

He has a strong grassroots connection, having started his political career from the student movement.

Despite his tough exterior, he is known for his compassion towards the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society.

Pinarayi Vijayan Election Results

Pinarayi Vijayan has been a consistent winner in state elections, reflecting his strong support base and effective governance. His leadership has led the CPI(M) to significant victories in Kerala.

Pinarayi Vijayan as Minister of Electricity and Co-operatives (1996-1998)

Subsequently, Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn in as the Minister of Electricity and Co-operatives for the ministry led by E. K. Nayanar in the year 1996. For example, he concentrated on structural changes of the power sector to increase it’s performance level and eliminate fiscal problems. He undertook some major programmes directed at the improvement of the state owned hydraulic power stations, although these were later to become a matter of some dispute. Nevertheless, his endeavours served as the basis for further advancements in Kerala’s electrical framework.

Pinarayi Vijayan as State Secretary of CPI(M) Kerala (1998-2015)

Besides, from 1998 to 2015, Pinarayi Vijayan was the state secretary of the CPI(M) Kerala state committee. He held this post and was influential in the formation of the party’s policies and hence the electoral victories. It was otherwise, as he became an active player in mobilizing the people and maintaining the party’s foothold in the political map of Kerala. This point in his leadership is characterized by the fact that he successfully managed conflict-prone political conditions and the retaining of the party.

Pinarayi Vijayan as CM of Kerala (2016 To Date)

Pinarayi Vijayan assumed his first term as the Chief Minister of Kerala from May 25, 2016 to May 20, 2021, and the second term starting May 20, 2021. He is one of the well-recognized leaders in India and during his time as the Chief Minister, he concentrated on minimizing the gap between the rich and the poor, and economic development of the state along with the welfare of the citizens. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Kerala, several infrastructure projects have been announced, healthcare has been enhanced and developed, education has been strengthened and developed; he managed the COVID-19 pandemic efficiently. He has also initiated and is heading several welfare programs including the one meant to better the standard of living of the people of Kerala. Despite all these evils, he has had considerable support at the back and remained fully adamant to make more progressive and developmental policies.

Pinaryani Vijayan Political Controversy

SNC-Lavalin Case:

There were emerging scandals of corruption especially in the Canaan Dam Project, where SNC-Lavalin a Canadian Company was awarded contracts when Vijayan was the Minister of Electricity in 1990s.

He was blamed for misleading the government ministry, consequently incurring major losses to the state’s revenue.

Yet, the courts cleared him and though the allegations affected him politically, they were not very destructive to his political career.

Sprinklr Controversy:

However, the Chengannur-born Vijayan’s ruling LDF government in Kerala came under scoter over a deal with Sprinklr, an American firm to manage the data and misinformation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Some controversies emerged pertaining to data privacy and the disclosure of such an agreement.

In its turn, the government justified the decision and stressed the importance of proper control of the pandemic situation.

Gold Smuggling Case:

The storm arose when a case of gold smuggling in the diplomatic baggage was exposed which involved some officials linked with CMO.

Though Vijayan categorically stated that his government had no hand in it the opposition parties capitalized on this incident and demanded a probe into it.

Police Brutality Allegations:

There have also been concerns in the medi concerning alleged cases of police violence in action especially during protest and enforcement of corona virus measures during Vijayan’s regime.

The critics have also taken the government to be using power to subdue the opposition and infringing on to human rights.

Environmental and Development Issues:

Different development projects launched by Vijayan during his regime have been criticized by environmentalists and other people from society.

The issues of unethical practice have featured in these concerns through reckless dismissal of environmental aspects and displacement of people.

Handling of Floods:

Flooding in the Indian state of Kerala, in August 2018 and June 2019, raised questions on the government fronted by Vijayan about disaster management.

The fact that many people in various provinces were grateful for the relief effort it shows that this was appreciated by the government; however, the diversion of water, its release, and flood control measures pointed out areas of weakness and concerns among the public.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How many times did Pinarayi Vijayan become CM?

Two times; he became the only Chief Minister of Kerala to get re-elected after completing a full five years.

Q. Does Pinarayi Vijayan have criminal cases?

Yes, Pinarayi Vikram has two criminal cases.

Q. Is Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan married?

Yes, he is married to Kamala Vijayan.

Q. Which political party does Pinarayi Vijayan belong to?

Pinarayi Vijayan is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)- CPI(M).

Q. Has Pinarayi Vijayan faced any controversies?

Yes, Pinarayi Vijayan faced allegations related to the SNC-Lavalin case but was acquitted by the courts. The allegations did not significantly impact his political career.

Q. What are some of Pinarayi Vijayan's achievements?

As Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan has been praised for his handling of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, and his government has implemented several welfare schemes focusing on healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.

Q. How did Pinarayi Vijayan start his political career?

Pinarayi Vijayan began his political career with the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), and rose through the ranks due to his dedication and leadership skills.