{{Short description|Indian politician}} {{Indian patronymic|Sivankutty|Vasudevan}} {{Multiple issues| {{BLP sources|date=May 2021}} {{Cleanup rewrite|date=January 2023}} {{Weasel|date=January 2023}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = V Sivankutty | image = File:V Sivankutty 2024 at Grandhapura tvm centre.jpg | image_size = 200px | 1blankname = Chief Minister | 1namedata = Pinarayi Vijayan | office = Former Minister for General Education & Labour, Government of Kerala | term_start = {{Start date|2021|05|20|df=yes}} | term_end = {{Start date|2026|05|23|df=yes}} | successor = N. Samsudheen (General Education) Bindu Krishna (Labour) | office1 = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly | term_start1 = 24 May 2021 | term_end1 = 23 May 2026 | constituency1 = Nemom | predecessor1 = O. Rajagopal | successor1 = Rajeev Chandrasekhar | office2 = | term_start2 = 13 May 2011 | term_end2 = 19 May 2016 | constituency2 = Nemom | predecessor2 = N. Sakthan | successor2 = O Rajagopal | office3 = | term_start3 = 11 May 2006 | term_end3 = 13 May 2011 | constituency3 = Thiruvananthapuram East | predecessor3 = B. Vijayakumar | successor3 = ''Constituency abolished'' | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|11|10|df=yes}} | birth_place = Cheruvakkal, Trivandrum, State of Travancore–Cochin<br />(present day Kerala), India | party = Communist Party of India (Marxist) | spouse = R. Parvathy Devi | children = 1 | parents = <!-- parents: include only if they are independently notable or particularly relevant. --> | relations = | footnotes = | source = | 2blankname = Departments | 2namedata = * General Education Department * Labour and Skills Department | 3blankname = Portfolios<ref>https://niyamasabha.nic.in/index.php/chief_minister/ministers</ref> | 3namedata = {{Collapsible list | title = | list_style = text-align:left; | 1 = General Education | 2 = Literacy Movement | 3 = Labour | 4 = Employment and Training | 5 = Skills | 6 = Rehabilitation | 7 = Factories and Boilers | 8 = Insurance Medical Service | 9 = Industrial Tribunals | 10 = Labour Courts }} | predecessor = *C. Raveendranath (General Education) *T. P. Ramakrishnan (Labour) }}
'''Vasudevan Sivankutty''' (born 10 November 1954) is an Indian politician, who served as the Minister for General Education and Labour,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://kerala.gov.in/documents/10180/10f1c4c2-f98b-4600-9b2a-749f33bdb791 |title=Archived copy |access-date=21 May 2021 |archive-date=21 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521145347/https://kerala.gov.in/documents/10180/10f1c4c2-f98b-4600-9b2a-749f33bdb791 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Government of Kerala from 2021 to 2026. He represented the Nemom Constituency in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Sivankutty is a State Committee Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala and the State Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Kerala, and the District President of CITU, Thiruvananthapuram.
==Early life==
Sivankutty was born on 10 November 1954 at Cheruvakkal, Thiruvananthapuram,<ref>{{cite news |title=Sivankutty, CPM's Nemom lieutenant |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2021/05/19/sivankutty-cpms-nemom-lieutenant.html |work=Sivankutty, CPM's Nemom lieutenant |language=en}}</ref> as the son of activist M. Vasudevan and P. Krishnamma. After schooling, he did his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) at the Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=archive |first1=From our online |title=Winner of all seasons |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2011/May/18/winner-of-all-seasons-254063.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=16 May 2012 |language=en}}</ref> He then completed his Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) from Kerala Law Academy, Thiruvananthapuram.<ref>{{cite web |title=Members - Kerala Legislature |url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/v_sivankutty.htm |website=www.niyamasabha.org}}</ref> He was a member of S.F.I. during his studies.
Sivankutty is married to writer, journalist, women's rights activist, and a former Kerala Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) member R. Parvathi Devi, who is the daughter of the Marxist theorist P. Govinda Pillai.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fact Check: മന്ത്രി ശിവൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ഭാര്യ പിഎസ്സി അംഗമോ? മകന് ഭരണത്തിന്റെ മറവിൽ ജോലി? |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/latest-news/kerala-news/fact-check-minister-sivankutty-wife-r-parvathi-devi-psc-member/articleshow/118504670.cms |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=Samayam Malayalam |publisher=The Times of India |language=ml}}</ref> The couple has a son, P. Govind Sivan, who is currently a research student<ref>{{cite news |title=Fact Check: മന്ത്രി ശിവൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ഭാര്യ പിഎസ്സി അംഗമോ? മകന് ഭരണത്തിന്റെ മറവിൽ ജോലി? |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/latest-news/kerala-news/fact-check-minister-sivankutty-wife-r-parvathi-devi-psc-member/articleshow/118504670.cms |work=Samayam Malayalam |language=ml}}</ref> at the Manipal University. Elina George is his daughter-in-law.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marriage of son of Minister V Sivankutty held |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/marriage-of-govind-sivan-son-of-minister-v-sivankutty-held-951199c3 |work=@mathrubhumi |date=5 February 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
==Political career== thumb|Kerala Education minister V SIVANKUTTY SPEECH
Sivankutty entered politics through the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and has held positions such as its District President, State President, District Secretary, State Secretary and All India Joint Secretary. From SFI, he joined the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), and currently holds positions such as its State Secretary and District President.<ref>{{Cite web |title=വി ശിവന്കുട്ടി |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/topics/person/v-sivankutty.html |website=ManoramaOnline |access-date=4 July 2023}}</ref>
He was the President of the erstwhile Ulloor Panchayat, the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the Joint Secretary of the All India Mayors’ Council, the MLA of Thiruvananthapuram East and then Nemom (2011 - 2016).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members - Kerala Legislature|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/v_sivankutty.htm|access-date=25 May 2021|website=www.niyamasabha.org}}</ref>
In the recently concluded Kerala Assembly Elections, he got defeated by BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He was a Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF cabinet, handling portfolios of General Education and Labour.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Aswin J. Kumar|date=18 May 2021|title=Kerala Ministers 2021: V Sivankutty becomes second corp mayor to turn minister {{!}} Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/thiruvananthapuram-v-sivankutty-becomes-second-corp-mayor-to-turn-minister/articleshow/82744889.cms|access-date=23 May 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 April 2022 |title=Kerala: Opinion of students and parents will be heard on education policy, says general education minister V Sivankutty |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-opinion-of-students-and-parents-will-be-heard-on-edu-policy-says-general-education-minister-v-sivankutty/articleshow/90677839.cms |access-date=27 June 2024 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> The other departments which he previously held were Literacy Movement, Employment and Training, Skills, Rehabilitation, Factories and Boilers, Insurance Medical Service, Industrial Tribunals, and Labour Courts.
== Controversies ==
=== 2015 Budget Presentation Ruckus === The Assembly witnessed ugly scenes after the Opposition MLAs attempted to prevent the Finance Minister from presenting the budget. His photos were so familiar leading the protest with the cable, sound system and monitor. Sivankutty was the major leader who opposed and created panic in assembly. Other accused in the case are minister K T Jaleel, E P Jayarajan, C K Sadasivan, K Ajith and Kunhahamed Master.Violent legislators had toppled the Speaker’s chair and threw the microphones away. The House suffered damages worth 2 lakh in the incident. Charges against the accused include relevant section of Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage).
The government moved the court based on a letter filed by V. Sivankutty. Several others, including Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, had filed petition.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-assembly-2015-ruckus-court-rejects-govt-s-demand-to-withdraw-case-1.5073751 | title=Kerala Assembly 2015 ruckus: Court rejects govt's demand to withdraw case | date=22 September 2020 }}</ref>
=== 2023 Ambulance incident === On 12 July 2023, a pilot vehicle in Sivankutty's convoy, driving on the wrong side of the road, crashed a police jeep onto the side of ambulance van. This led to the injury of three people (including the patient). The incident took place in Kottarakkara in Kollam district when a driver from the minister's convoy. Sivankutty reportedly stepped out of the vehicle for a few minutes, inspected van, then continued towards Thiruvananthapuram. The police was criticised by the victims for not intervening or filing an FIR.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nair |first=Aishwarya |date=13 July 2023 |title=Day after Minister V Sivankutty's pilot vehicle collides with ambulance, Kerala Police yet to act |pages=1 |work=The Free Press Journal |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/day-after-minister-v-sivankutty-s-pilot-vehicle-collides-with-ambulance-kerala-police-yet-to-act-anr-rxpvnl |url-status=live |access-date=13 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713041230/https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/day-after-minister-v-sivankutty-s-pilot-vehicle-collides-with-ambulance-kerala-police-yet-to-act-anr-rxpvnl |archive-date=13 July 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sivankutty, V.}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from Kerala Category:Kerala MLAs 2006–2011 Category:Kerala MLAs 2011–2016 Category:Kerala MLAs 2021–2026 Category:Politicians from Thiruvananthapuram Category:General education ministers of Kerala