K. V. Thomas

Kuruppasserry Varkey Thomas (born 10 May 1946), is an Indian politician from Kumbalangi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. He represented Ernakulam Constituency from 2009 to 2019. He was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, 2nd UPA Government;[2] a member of the Indian Parliament;[3] and was a member of All India Congress Committee from [4]1984 to 2022. He is now the Special Representative of Government of Kerala at New Delhi with Cabinet rank.

Not to be confused with T. V. Thomas.

K. V. Thomas
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
In office
19 January 2011 – 26 May 2014
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded bySharad Pawar
Succeeded byRam Vilas Paswan
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
2009–2019
Preceded bySebastian Paul
Succeeded byHibi Eden
ConstituencyErnakulam
In office
1984–1996
Preceded byXavier Arakkal
Succeeded byXavier Arakkal
ConstituencyErnakulam
Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
2001–2009
Preceded bySebastian Paul
Succeeded byDominic Presentation
ConstituencyErnakulam
Personal details
Born (1946-05-10) 10 May 1946
Kumbalangi, Kingdom of Cochin, British India
(present day Ernakulam, Kerala, India)
Political partyIndian National Congress
(1970–2022)
SpouseSherly Thomas
Children3
Parents
  • K. D. Varkey (father)
  • Rosa Varkey (mother)
Alma materSacred Heart College, Thevara[1]
In this Indian name, the name Kuruppasserry Varkey is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Thomas.

Personal life

K. V. Thomas was born to K. D. Varkey and Rose Varkey on 10 May 1946. He has two elder brothers, Dr. K. V. Peter and K. V. Joseph. He is married to Sherly Thomas. They have a daughter and two sons.

Career
K. V. Thomas with Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop Mar George Alencherry during the 135th birth anniversary of Venerable Mar Varghese Payyappilly.

Thomas was a member of the 11th (2001-2006) and 12th (2006-2009) Kerala Legislative Assembly representing the Ernakulam assembly constituency. While contesting the 2009 Indian general election he was an MLA from Ernakulam .[5][6] He served as the Minister for Excise and Tourism and Minister for Tourism and Fisheries between 2001 and 2004 in Government of Kerala.[7] Thomas was a member of Lok Sabha from 1984 to 1996 and then from 2009 to 2019. During his long political career he held several positions like President, 7th Ward Congress Committee (1970–75); Convener, Block Youth Congress, Palluruthy (1971–80); General Secretary. Cochin Taluk INTUC (1971–76), Kerala INTUC (1986–91), DCC Ernakulam (1978–86); Treasurer, KPCC (1991–96); President of Ernakulam District Congress (I) Committee; KPCC Working President, Member of KPCC; Member of Kerala State Election Congress (I) Committee; Organising Secretary & General Secretary of INTUC (Kerala); AICC Observer to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep. He is also a member of General Council of INTUC (trade union wing of the Indian National Congress) since 1976.[8] He served as the chairman of PAC (Public Accounts Committee) for three years from 2014 to 2017.[9]

On 10 April 2022, Thomas attended a seminar in Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s 23rd party Congress in Kannur.[10] For this he was officially removed from key party posts.[10] In May 2022, shortly after attending an election campaign of the Left Democratic Front in Kochi, he was expelled from the Congress party for alleged anti-party activities.[11][12]

Education

Thomas holds a MSc degree in Chemistry and was a Professor of Chemistry for a period of 33 years at Sacred Heart College, Thevara. He served as the Head of the Department (Chemistry) from 1 June 1999 to 31 May 2001.[13]

Other positions that Thomas held include Member of Defence Consultative Committee; Member of Civil Aviation and Tourism Consultative Committee; Court Member of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Pondicherry University; Director Board Member of Marine Products Export Development Authority; Director of Cochin International Airport Limited; President of All Kerala Ration Dealers Association; Working President of Indian Rare Earth Employees Congress; Chairman of Indira Gandhi Co-operative Hospital, Ernakulam (1994–96), Member of Official Language Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly (2004–06).[13]

Biography

Thomas is the author of several books. His first book, Ente Kumbalangi, which is about his native village Kumbalangi, was released on 17 November 2004.[14] Since then he has published five more books.[15]

References
  1. "Mathrubhumi: ReadMore -'Sacred Hearts' met at Delhi after many years'". Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  2. Govt. of India Council of Ministers Archived 31 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members' Home Page
  4. AICC Members from Kerala Archived 14 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Brief profiles of Ministers of State
  6. Kerala Legislature - Members
  7. Thomas Biodata of Mr. K. V. Thomas in Kerala Assembly election data base
  8. Profile of Prof. K. V. Thomas in Kerala legislative assembly website. Retrieved on 29, May 2009
  9. "Mallikarjun Kharge set to become next PAC chairman". 15 March 2017.
  10. May 13, IANS /. "KV Thomas, the modern day 'Judas': Congress | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  11. "K V Thomas claims he has no communication about his expulsion from Congress". ThePrint. 13 May 2022.
  12. "Former Union Minister KV Thomas Expelled From Congress". NDTV.com.
  13. Profile Prof. K. V. Thomas in his Election Website. Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 29, May 2009
  14. Release the book `Ente Kumbalanghi' written by K. V. Thomas The Hindu. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 29, May 2009
  15. Books Published by K. V. Thomas Archived 21 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
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