P. K. Vasudevan Nair

Chief Minister of Kerala

Term: 1978–1979

BornPadayatt Kesava Pillai Vasudevan Nair, ( 1926-03-02 ) 2 March 1926, Kidangoor, Travancore, British India

Died12 July 2005 (2005-07-12) (aged 79), New Delhi, India

EducationGovernment Law College, Thiruvananthapuram

Padayatt Kesava Pillai Vasudevan Nair (2 March 1926 – 12 July 2005), popularly known as PKV, was an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 9th Chief Minister of Kerala from 1978 to 1979. He was a Member of the Lok Sabha from 1957 to 1971 and again from 2004 until his death in 2005. He became Chief Minister on 29 October 1978, following A. K. Antony's resignation as Chief Minister. However he resigned on 7 October 1979 owing to differences with other parties in the United Front. He served in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 1982. Nair was a senior member of the Communist Party of India.

He was the founder-president of the Travancore Students Union, All India Students Federation (AISF) and All India Youth Federation (AIYF). He remained with the CPI after the split in the Communist movement in 1964 and was elected the party's State secretary in 1982.