A. Achuthan

A. Achuthan was born on April 1, 1933, to Ikanda Variyar, a sub-registrar, and Madhavi Variyar, a civil servant, in Avittathur near Irinjalakuda in present-day Thrissur district of Kerala.^[1] After completing graduation in civil engineering from the University of Kerala, he studied master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin and a doctorate from IIT Madras.^[2] As a civil engineer, he is specialised in hydraulics.^[3]

Achuthan and his wife Sulochana have two children, Aruna, a VLSI design engineer in Canada, and Anupama A. Manjula, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology at Manjeri Government Medical College,.^[1] He died on October 10, 2022, at Kozhikode.^[4] As per his wishes, his body was handed over to the Kozhikode Government Medical College for academic purposes, without being placed for public viewing or paying homage.^[4]

Achuthan started his career as a demonstrator at the Government Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram in 1954.^[3] Later he worked at the Public and Engineering Division of the Public Works Department, Government of Kerala.^[1] While working in PWD, he has done research on 'Total Sanitation' at the Indian Council for Medical Research.^[3] He left PWD for teaching career and worked as a teacher at Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram engineering colleges and Kozhikode Regional Engineering College.^[1] He has also served as Dean and Director of Academic Staff College at the University of Calicut.^[1]

In the same year he arrived in Kozhikode as a teacher in 1962, the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad was formed in Kozhikode.^[5] Although he did not attend any of the first meetings of Parishad, he was active in literature and cultural scene of Kozhikode in the 1960s. In a poetry circle, he met another Irinjalakuda resident, N. V. Krishna Warrier. Upon Warrier's request Achuthan became a member of the Parishad in 1965.^[5] In 1966, he became the general secretary of the Parishad and in 1969, he became its state president.^[5] It was during his time that the Parishad was registered as a society. It was first registered with the home address of Achuthan.^[5]

For the Parishad, he focused on new methods of waste disposal, proper mosquito control, the design of a smoke-free stove (now called the parishad stove), ways to save electricity, drinking water conservation measures, and low-cost building construction using local resources.^[5] He prepared many books and pamphlets to promote these. The most important of these is Ningalkkoru Veedu [A Home for You], which was prepared in collaboration with Vincent Paul, a colleague at REC.^[5]

Achuthan was a member of the expert committees of the Central Department of Science and Technology, UGC, Kerala State Planning Board, and the Board of Studies, Faculty, and Academic Council of various universities.^[1] He also served as the editor of the science periodicals Sastra Gati and Ore Oru Bhoomi.^[1]

Achuthan was a person who actively intervened in environmental issues in Kerala. He was a member of the People's Inquiry Commission related to the Plachimada protest and the Inquiry Commission related to the Endosulfan disaster, and was also active in the Save Silent Valley protest.^[6] At the time of Silent Valley issue, he was a member of the Task Forces on Energy under the Kerala State Planning Board.^[3] The first official report detailing the plight of endosulfan victims in Kerala was prepared under the leadership of Achuthan.^[7] He was also involved in other environmental protests in the state including issues related to Jeerakapara, Madayipara, Mavoor Gwalior Rayons and Njeliyanparamba waste treatment plant.^[3] Achuthan was also at the forefront of the formation of the Kerala Environmental Conservation Committee in 1974 to deal exclusively with environmental issues.^[1]