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File:George Thomas Kottukapally.jpeg

George Thomas Kottukapally

File:George Thomas Kottukapally 1.jpeg

George Thomas Kottukapally with his friend, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India

File:George Thomas Kottukapally 4.jpeg

Palai's most iconic building, a gothic-styled clock tower known as "Palai Kurishpalli" with a statue of Jesus Christ at top and with a chapel in the name of Mother Mary in front of the Kottukapally Tharavad was a vision of George Thomas Kottukapally to which he financially contributed

File:George Thomas Kottukapally 3.jpeg

George Thomas Kottukapally's tombstone states, "George Thomas Kottukapally, Palai, He served the country and the people for half a century, guiding the destiny of Palai and adorning the public life of the nation. Municipal Chariman 1948-53, Member of Parliament 1953-1962, Delegate to the United Nations 1958, May His Soul Rest in Peace"

George Thomas Kottukapally was an Indian independence activist and a member of the Indian National Congress having taken part in the Indian Independence Movement through the Non co-operation movement in 1921^[1]. Post India's Independence in 1947, Kottukapally was elected as an Indian Member of Parliament representing the Indian National Congress party in the 1st Lok Sabha and the 2nd Lok Sabha from 1953 till 1962^[2]. Kottukapally was also India's representative to the United Nations in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's Delegation in 1958.

George Thomas Kottukapally by lineage, is a son of an ancient and prominent Palai-based Syro-Malabar Saint Thomas Christian aristocratic Kottukapally family.^[3] ^[4] According to the local church's traditions and family manuscripts, the family's origin lies in the traditionally held belief according to which a lineage from a Brahmin family Kottakkavu converted in the 1st century directly from the evangelical activity undertaken by Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Thereby, in lieu of his lineage from the Apostolic era and his devotion to the Church, at a personal level, he financially supported the establishment of the Bishop's House, Palai which led to the formal establishment of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai, he provided the land as well as provided financing for the establishment of St. Thomas College, Palai and Alphonsa College, Palai.^[5] George Thomas Kottukapally's contributions as a philanthropist and as an educationalist was highlighted by the former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as he quoted Kottukapally in his speech, "People of Kottayam are grateful to the gesture of 'Father' (being the founder) George Thomas Kottukapally in providing 50 acres of land for the creation of this college in 1950s. We need such great givers for developing the society. I congratulate the pioneers both present and past who have laid a robust foundation for quality education in St Thomas College".^[6]

In the 17th century, the Kottukapally family had moved to Palai to start the trading market in pepper under the invitation of the Kartha, equivalent to a Duke, of Poonjar. As historical evidence, the family still has a part of their 400-year old famed ancestral home or known as the Kottukapally Tharavad located in the heartland of Palai.^[7] Thereby, in founding a pepper trading market, the Kottukapally family is considered as the founding families of modern Palai, of what is known as 'angadi' Palai.^[8] With this lineage, George Thomas Kottukapally and Palai's future and growth were both inextricably linked such that his political, social and economic vision for Palai prior to being elected as a Member of Parliament led him to stand and win the Mayorial election in being elected as the Chairman, the position which is equivalent to that of a Mayor in the of the Municipality of Palai which he held between 1948 to 1953.^[9] According to K. P. S. Menon (senior), India's first foreign secretary, in a public foreword about Kottukapally's contributions, he acknowledged that Kottukapally as the Municipal Chairman was a 'key architect' and was one of the 'founding fathers' of the post-Independent Indian township of Palai^[10]. Currently, economically, the township of Palai is ranked as one of the richest and most prosperous Syro-Malabar Saint Thomas Christian township belt in the State of Kerala.

George Thomas Kottukapally was one of the key promoters and a director of then Kerala's largest and most important private enterprise Palai Central Bank after the State Government of Kerala^[11]. The Kerala High Court in 1960 ordered the liquidation of Palai Central Bank on a petition from the Reserve Bank of India.^[12] That having, In Volume II of the History of RBI covering the years 1951–1967, a 27-page appendix viz. "Appendix C: The Palai Central Bank" extensively covers the history of the Bank. The following is an extract: "While defending the Reserve Bank as 'one of the best central banks in the world' maintaining a 'high level of efficiency', the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was reported to have acknowledged that it may have made a 'mistake' in closing down the Palai Central Bank." ^[13] In his lifetime, Kottukapally was one of South India's leading agriculture plantation owner-cum-investor-cum-industrialist having been the Managing Director and director of several cross-holding businesses, planting and banking companies such that he held the position of being the President of the important and powerful lobby group Travancore-Cochin Bankers Association.^[14] Historically, the Kottukapally family is recorded as one of the largest land-holding family in the State of Kerala^[15] while, currently, George Thomas Kottukapally though deceased, still continues to be ranked historically as the single largest Christian landowner in the Indian sub-continent with 15,000 acres at current value would be over USD $1 billion and thereby having ranked George Thomas Kottukapally as one of the richest Indians during his own lifetime.^[16] Post his demise, the State Government of Kerala, India had appropriated a large part of his estates and land bank on the basis of surplus land of which included 5,000 acres in the Cheemeni Village in the district of Kasargod, Kerala, India.^[17]

George Thomas Kottukapally's elder brother George Joseph Kottukapally was a Member of the Sree Moolam Praja Sabha, the equivalent of being a Member of Parliament in the erst-while Kingdom of Travancore under the Maharaja of Travancore. Post the demise George Thomas Kottukapally, his eldest son Joseph Kottukapally stepped into providing leadership to the township of Palai by being the Municipal Chairman of Palai, an elected position which he held onto for 16-years.

References

[1] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[2] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[3] Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

[4] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[5] President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally

[6] President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally

[7] Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

[8] Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

[9] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[10] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[11] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[12] [History of the Reseve Bank of India - Volumes I & II - Oxford University Press]

[13] [1]

[14] Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally

[15] State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India

[16] State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India

[17] State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:George Thomas Kottukapally.jpeg|thumbnail|220px|George Thomas Kottukapally]]
 [[File:George Thomas Kottukapally 1.jpeg|thumbnail|220px|George Thomas Kottukapally with his friend, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India]]
-[[File:George Thomas Kottukapally 4.jpeg|thumbnail|220px|Palai's most iconic building, a gothic-styled clock tower with a statue of Jesus Christ at top and with a chapel in the name of Mother Mary in front of the Kottukapally Tharavad was a vision of George Thomas Kottukapally to which he financially contributed]]
+[[File:George Thomas Kottukapally 4.jpeg|thumbnail|220px|Palai's most iconic building, a gothic-styled clock tower known as "Palai Kurishpalli" with a statue of Jesus Christ at top and with a chapel in the name of Mother Mary in front of the Kottukapally Tharavad was a vision of George Thomas Kottukapally to which he financially contributed]]
 [[File:George Thomas Kottukapally 3.jpeg|thumbnail|220px|George Thomas Kottukapally's tombstone states, "George Thomas Kottukapally, Palai, He served the country and the people for half a century, guiding the destiny of Palai and adorning the public life of the nation. Municipal Chariman 1948-53, Member of Parliament 1953-1962, Delegate to the United Nations 1958, May His Soul Rest in Peace"]]
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 George Thomas Kottukapally by lineage, is a son of an ancient and prominent [[Palai]]-based [[Syro-Malabar]] [[Saint Thomas Christian]] aristocratic [[Kottukapally family]].<ref>[http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/tropical/five-stylish-kerala-homestays/page/the-kottukapally-family-home,-pala Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine]</ref>
-<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> According to the local church's traditions and family manuscripts, the family's origin lies in the traditionally held belief according to which a lineage from a [[Brahmin]] family Kottakkavu converted in the 1st century directly from the evangelical activity undertaken by [[Thomas the Apostle]], one of the [[Twelve Apostles]] of [[Jesus Christ]]. Thereby, in lieu of his lineage from the Apostolic era and his devotion to the Church, at a personal level, he financially supported the establishment of the Bishop's House, Palai which led to the formal establishment of the [[Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai]], he provided the land as well as provided financing for the establishment of [[St. Thomas College, Palai]] and [[Alphonsa College, Palai]].<ref>[http://www.abdulkalam.com/kalam/jsp/display_content.jsp?menuid=28&menuname=Speeches%20/%20Lectures&linkid=68&linkname=Recent&content=2130&columnno=0&starts=0&menu_image=-&contentsForum=Address%20and%20interaction%20with%20the%20Students%20Foundation%20Day%20Celebrations%20of%20%20St%20Thomas%20College&titlename=null President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> George Thomas Kottukapally's contributions as philanthrophist and as an educationalist was highlighted by the former [[President of India]] [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] as he quoted Kottukapally in his speech, "People of [[Kottayam]] are grateful to the gesture of 'Father' (being the founder) George Thomas Kottukapally in providing 50 acres of land for the creation of this college in 1950s. We need such great givers for developing the society. I congratulate the pioneers both present and past who have laid a robust foundation for quality education in St Thomas College".<ref>[http://www.abdulkalam.com/kalam/jsp/display_content.jsp?menuid=28&menuname=Speeches%20/%20Lectures&linkid=68&linkname=Recent&content=2130&columnno=0&starts=0&menu_image=-&contentsForum=Address%20and%20interaction%20with%20the%20Students%20Foundation%20Day%20Celebrations%20of%20%20St%20Thomas%20College&titlename=null President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref>
+<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> According to the local church's traditions and family manuscripts, the family's origin lies in the traditionally held belief according to which a lineage from a [[Brahmin]] family Kottakkavu converted in the 1st century directly from the evangelical activity undertaken by [[Thomas the Apostle]], one of the [[Twelve Apostles]] of [[Jesus Christ]]. Thereby, in lieu of his lineage from the Apostolic era and his devotion to the Church, at a personal level, he financially supported the establishment of the Bishop's House, Palai which led to the formal establishment of the [[Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai]], he provided the land as well as provided financing for the establishment of [[St. Thomas College, Palai]] and [[Alphonsa College, Palai]].<ref>[http://www.abdulkalam.com/kalam/jsp/display_content.jsp?menuid=28&menuname=Speeches%20/%20Lectures&linkid=68&linkname=Recent&content=2130&columnno=0&starts=0&menu_image=-&contentsForum=Address%20and%20interaction%20with%20the%20Students%20Foundation%20Day%20Celebrations%20of%20%20St%20Thomas%20College&titlename=null President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> George Thomas Kottukapally's contributions as a philanthropist and as an educationalist was highlighted by the former [[President of India]] [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] as he quoted Kottukapally in his speech, "People of [[Kottayam]] are grateful to the gesture of 'Father' (being the founder) George Thomas Kottukapally in providing 50 acres of land for the creation of this college in 1950s. We need such great givers for developing the society. I congratulate the pioneers both present and past who have laid a robust foundation for quality education in St Thomas College".<ref>[http://www.abdulkalam.com/kalam/jsp/display_content.jsp?menuid=28&menuname=Speeches%20/%20Lectures&linkid=68&linkname=Recent&content=2130&columnno=0&starts=0&menu_image=-&contentsForum=Address%20and%20interaction%20with%20the%20Students%20Foundation%20Day%20Celebrations%20of%20%20St%20Thomas%20College&titlename=null President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref>
 In the 17th century, the [[Kottukapally family]] had moved to [[Palai]] to start the trading market in pepper under the invitation of the Kartha, equivalent to a Duke, of [[Poonjar]]. As historical evidence, the family still has a part of their 400-year old famed ancestral home or known as the Kottukapally [[Tharavad]] located in the heartland of [[Palai]].<ref>[http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/tropical/five-stylish-kerala-homestays/page/the-kottukapally-family-home,-pala Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine]</ref> Thereby, in founding a pepper trading market, the [[Kottukapally family]] is considered as the founding families of modern [[Palai]], of what is known as 'angadi' [[Palai]].<ref>[http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/tropical/five-stylish-kerala-homestays/page/the-kottukapally-family-home,-pala Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine]</ref> With this lineage, George Thomas Kottukapally and [[Palai]]'s future and growth were both inextricably linked such that his political, social and economic vision for [[Palai]] prior to being elected as a Member of Parliament led him to stand and win the Mayorial election in being elected as the Chairman, the position which is equivalent to that of a [[Mayor]] in the of the Municipality of [[Palai]] which he held between 1948 to 1953.<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> According to [[K. P. S. Menon (senior)]], India's first foreign secretary, in a public foreword about Kottukapally's contributions, he acknowledged that Kottukapally as the Municipal Chairman was a 'key architect' and was one of the 'founding fathers' of the post-Independent Indian township of [[Palai]]<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref>. Currently, economically, the township of [[Palai]] is ranked as one of the richest and most prosperous [[Syro-Malabar]] [[Saint Thomas Christian]] township belt in the State of [[Kerala]].
-George Thomas Kottukapally was one of the key promoters and a director of then Kerala's largest and most important private enterprise [[Palai Central Bank]]<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref>. In his lifetime, Kottukapally was one of South India's leading agriculture plantation owner-cum-investor-cum-industrialist having been the Managing Director and director of several cross-holding businesses, planting and banking companies such that he held the position of being the President of the important and powerful lobby group [[Travancore-Cochin Bankers Association]].<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> Historically, the [[Kottukapally family]] is recorded as one of the largest land-holding family in the State of Kerala<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref> while, currently, George Thomas Kottukapally though deceased, still continues to be ranked historically as the single largest [[Christian]] landowner in the [[Indian sub-continent]] with 15,000 acres at current value would be over USD $1 billion and thereby having ranked George Thomas Kottukapally as one of the richest Indians during his own lifetime.<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref> Post his demise, the State Government of Kerala, India had appropriated a large part of his estates and land bank on the basis of surplus land of which included 5,000 acres in the [[Cheemeni]] Village in the district of [[Kasargod]], Kerala, India.<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref>
+George Thomas Kottukapally was one of the key promoters and a director of then Kerala's largest and most important private enterprise [[Palai Central Bank]] after the State Government of Kerala<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref>. The Kerala High Court in 1960 ordered the liquidation of Palai Central Bank on a petition from the Reserve Bank of India.<ref>[History of the Reseve Bank of India - Volumes I & II - Oxford University Press]</ref> That having, In Volume II of the History of RBI covering the years 1951–1967, a 27-page appendix viz. "Appendix C: The Palai Central Bank" extensively covers the history of the Bank. The following is an extract:
+"While defending the Reserve Bank as 'one of the best central banks in the world' maintaining a 'high level of efficiency', the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was reported to have acknowledged that it may have made a 'mistake' in closing down the Palai Central Bank."
+<ref>[http://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/PDFs/90044.pdf]</ref> In his lifetime, Kottukapally was one of South India's leading agriculture plantation owner-cum-investor-cum-industrialist having been the Managing Director and director of several cross-holding businesses, planting and banking companies such that he held the position of being the President of the important and powerful lobby group [[Travancore-Cochin Bankers Association]].<ref>[http://www.refocusindia.com/member-of-parliament-lok-sabha-profile-1526-Kottukapally,%20Shri%20George%C2%A0Thomas Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally]</ref> Historically, the [[Kottukapally family]] is recorded as one of the largest land-holding family in the State of Kerala<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref> while, currently, George Thomas Kottukapally though deceased, still continues to be ranked historically as the single largest [[Christian]] landowner in the [[Indian sub-continent]] with 15,000 acres at current value would be over USD $1 billion and thereby having ranked George Thomas Kottukapally as one of the richest Indians during his own lifetime.<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref> Post his demise, the State Government of Kerala, India had appropriated a large part of his estates and land bank on the basis of surplus land of which included 5,000 acres in the [[Cheemeni]] Village in the district of [[Kasargod]], Kerala, India.<ref>[http://kasargod.nic.in/land/surplusland/hosdurg/15/cheemeni.pdf State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India]</ref>
+George Thomas Kottukapally's elder brother George Joseph Kottukapally was a Member of the Sree Moolam Praja Sabha, the equivalent of being a Member of Parliament in the erst-while Kingdom of [[Travancore]] under the [[Maharaja of Travancore]]. Post the demise George Thomas Kottukapally, his eldest son Joseph Kottukapally stepped into providing leadership to the township of [[Palai]] by being the Municipal Chairman of [[Palai]], an elected position which he held onto for 16-years.
 ==References==
 <references />