George Thomas Kottukapally
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 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".[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[11]. 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.[12] Historically, the Kottukapally family is recorded as one of the largest land-holding family in the State of Kerala[13] 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.[14] 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.[15]
References
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ President of India Abdul Kalam's reflection on the contribution of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine
- ^ Kottukapally Tharavad as covered by the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ Bio-Data of George Thomas Kottukapally
- ^ State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India
- ^ State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India
- ^ State Government Kerala Record on George Thomas Kottukpally's holding in the village of Cheemeni Village, Kasargod, Kerala, India