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Socialist stalwart 'Socio' Vasu passes away at 103 in Kerala

Vasu Parameswaran, a prominent figure in Kerala's socialist movement who earned the sobriquet 'Socio' Vasu for his decades-long association with leftist politics, died at an advanced age. He received his party membership directly from socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan.

LSN India · 8 October 2026

Socialist stalwart 'Socio' Vasu passes away at 103 in Kerala

Vasu Parameswaran, widely known as 'Socio' Vasu for his unwavering commitment to socialist ideology, passed away at the age of 103 in Kerala. His death marks the end of an era for those who participated in India's post-Independence socialist movement.

Following India's Independence, Vasu Parameswaran transitioned from the freedom struggle to active involvement in socialist politics. A significant milestone in his political journey came when Jayaprakash Narayan, one of India's most influential socialist leaders, granted him party membership in Kozhikode. This recognition cemented his standing within Kerala's leftist circles during a formative period for the movement.

Vasu's nickname—'Socio' Vasu—reflected his decades-long association with socialist causes and ideology. Throughout his life, he remained a recognizable figure in Kerala's political and social landscape, embodying the values and aspirations of the socialist movement that flourished in the state during the latter half of the twentieth century.

His passing represents the gradual departure of the generation that shaped post-Independence India's ideological discourse and political movements in the southern state.