M.P. Veerendra Kumar, the managing director of Malayalam newspaper Mathrubhumi, author, orator and Rajya Sabha member, passed away on Thursday night after illness. He was 84.

A well-known environmentalist, Veerendra Kumar resigned 48 hours after being appointed power minister in the E.K. Nayanar government in Kerala in March 1987 after issuing his first order banning the cutting of trees in the state’s forests.

He was minister of state for labour (independent charge) with additional charges as minister of state, urban affairs and employment (independent charge) and parliamentary affairs between 1997 and 1998 in the I.K. Gujral government and was minister of state for finance in 1997 in the H.D. Deve Gowda ministry.

Veerendra Kumar was at the forefront of the anti- globalisation and environment movements and people’s struggle against exploitation of water and pollution, allegedly caused by a beverages company at Plachimada village in Palakkad district.

A socialist, Veerendra Kumar had headed the Janata Dal United in Kerala for a long time before parting ways when its national president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar became an ally of the BJP. He later joined the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) led by Sharad Yadav.

Backed by the ruling Left front in Kerala, Veerendra Kumar was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent candidate in 2018.

Veerendra Kumar had served thrice as the chairman of Press Trust of India and, at the time of his death, he was one of the directors on the news agency's board. He was also the president of the Indian Newspaper Society.

He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, M.V. Shreyams Kumar, the joint managing director of Mathrubhumi.

A host of leaders led by President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condoled the death of Veerendra Kumar.

“A staunch socialist, he enriched the field of journalism and literature by leading the influential Malayalam newspaper, Mathrubhumi. Condolences to his family and well-wishers,” the President said.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said: “Until his last breath, he relentlessly fought communalism and divisive politics. Even as he championed development, Veerendra Kumar was a front-line environmentalist as well. I share this moment of deep grief with his relatives and colleagues.”

Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi were among those who condoled the death.

The Indian Newspaper Society president, Shailesh Gupta, condoled the death of Veerendra Kumar. “As a socialist leader, he was the voice of the marginalised and weaker sections of the Society and was a people’s person,” Gupta said.