KOCHI: Long before he was announced as the Chief Minister of Kerala, V D Satheesan was a fiery student leader walking the corridors of Sacred Heart College, Thevara.
Political leaders are rarely made overnight. Their convictions, leadership and public persona are often forged through years of experiences, debates, friendships and struggles and many of them beginning in college campuses. For Satheesan, the foundations of his political life were laid during the turbulent and politically charged college atmosphere of the 1980s.
At the time, student politics in Kerala campuses largely revolved around the fierce rivalry between KSU and SFI. Satheesan emerged as one of the most visible faces of student politics at Sacred Heart College, Thevara.
An old college magazine clipping still preserves traces of that early political spark. Describing the young Satheesan, it reads: “A powerful orator who did not tire, did not flinch, did not retreat in the face of the enemy’s killing cries, who made the heavy stone walls of Sacred Heart College burn.”
The note further mentions that he was recognised as the best orator and writer for three consecutive years and was elected to the KSU three times in a row. It also recalls how he travelled across Kerala winning accolades for his college.
For many who knew him then, the signs of a future political leader were already visible.
“When Satheesan was a degree student at Thevara College, I was the vice principal,” recalls Father Austin Mulerikal (CMI), a mentor to VD Satheeshan and someone who closely observed student politics on campus during those years. “The principal entrusted me with most student-related matters, so I maintained a close relationship with students.”
According to him, campus politics during the 1980s was intense and often confrontational. Clashes and protests between rival student organisations were frequent. Yet, Satheesan stood apart.
“There were many leaders in KSU and SFI, but what made Satheesan different was that he was always a gentleman,” Father Austin says. “Even during heated protests, he maintained respect, righteousness and moral consciousness. In those times, protests rarely had space for justice or logic. Students often clashed physically. But Satheesan carried himself differently. From then itself, I knew he had a bright future in politics.”
Beyond student politics, Satheesan was also actively involved in intellectual and social discussions outside campus. He participated in symposiums led by renowned environmentalist P V Thampi, where books, contemporary issues and public life were discussed among both youth and senior citizens. “Even today, decades after Thampi’s death, the annual award instituted in his memory — recognising ordinary people doing extraordinary work in environmental conservation — continues to see Satheesan’s participation.
Satheesan also shared a close friendship with Thampi’s son, Renjith Thampi, who was his classmate at Sacred Heart College. Their bond, those close to them say, continues even today through their families”.
Father Austin also says that despite Satheesan’s rise in public life, their relationship has remained unchanged. “He has always given me the freedom to point out his political mistakes or shortcomings,” he says fondly. “And most of the time, he listens. Even though he is extremely busy now, he still responds.”
For those who watched him as a student leader in the corridors of Thevara College, Satheesan’s political rise appears less like a surprise and more like the continuation of a journey that began decades ago with speeches, student elections, ideological debates and a young man many already believed was destined for larger responsibilities.