ALUMNI COMMITE

ALUMNI COMMITE

The annual alumni committee meeting of the St. Gregorious college Kottarakara held at Kurakar Town Center was on 29^th February 2012.  The committee decided to conduct the annual family meet and general body of the alumni association at St. Gregorious college on 10^th March 2012 at 3pm. The committee meeting also decided to give the teachers retiring on 31^st March 2012 and to facilitate alumnus who won awards and higher positions. The following members participated in the meeting. M Kunjachan parutira, G Balakrishnan Nair, VK sabu, Kudavattur vishwan, KK Joy, Dr.Jacob Thomas, R Mohana Panicker, Samson Palakonam, Sarasan Kottarakara, D Unnikrishnan, Prof John Kurakar, Pastor Thomas P Chacko, Dr. PK Josekutty, Dr. MKP Roy, K George Kutty, Saji Baby. The meeting concluded at 5pm with a photo session.

                                                                              Prof. John Kurakar

RICH TRIBUTE PAID TO NARAYANA PANICKER

RICH TRIBUTE PAID TO NARAYANA PANICKER

P.K. Narayana Panicker, president of Nair Service Society and a dominant public figure in Kerala for the last several decades, died at his residence at Changanassery near Kottayam on Wednesday. He was 82 and had been keeping indifferent health for quite some time, sources said. Mr. Panicker, who headed the powerful community organisation with grassroot level network and educational institutions all through the State, headed the NSS for nearly three decades after he took over as General Secretary in 1983.Last year, he stepped down as general secretary of the NSS and became its president. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Panicker had spearheaded several legal battles and public campaigns for income-based reservations in jobs and admissions in place of community-based quota system.

Mr. Panicker also headed the now defunct political wing of the NSS, National Democratic Party. The party was a partner in the UDF before it was disbanded in the 1990s. Leaders from all political parties and community organisations said Kerala had lost an eminent public figure in the death of Mr. Panicker.

courtesy: The Hindu

                                                                                                           Prof. John Kurakar

OSCAR AWARDS 2012

OSCAR AWARDS 2012

In the black-and-white comic melodrama category, the best actor award went to Jean Dujardin and the best director to Michel Hazanavicius. In a night of few surprises, the other top Oscars went to Meryl Streep for best actress for the filmThe Iron Lady, Octavia Spencer as supporting actress for The Help and Christopher Plummer as supporting actor for Beginners. The Artist is the first silent winner since the World War I saga Wings, which was named outstanding picture at the first Oscars in 1929. “I am the happiest director in the world,” Hazanavicius said, thanking the cast, crew and canine co-star Uggie. “I also want to thank the financier, the crazy person who put money in the movie.” The other wins for The Artist were for musical score and art direction. Martin Scorsese's Paris adventure Hugo also won five Oscars, all in technical categories. Streep's win was her first Oscar in 29 years, since she won best actress forSophie's Choice. She had lost 12 times in a row since then. Streep also has a supporting-actress Oscar for 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer. “When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America go, ‘Oh, no, why her again?' But whatever,” Streep said, laughing. “I really understand I'll never be up here again. I really want to thank all my colleagues, my friends. I look out here and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends. Really, this is such a great honour, but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendship and the love and the sheer joy we've shared making movies together,” said Streep, the record-holder with 17 acting nominations. Streep is only the fifth performer to receive three Oscars, including Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan, who won three, while Katharine Hepburn won four. It was a night that went as expected, with front-runners claiming key prizes. Streep's triumph provided a bit of drama, since she had been in a two-woman race with Viola Davis for The Help. The biggest surprise may have been the length of the show, which clocked in at about three hours and 10 minutes, brisk for a ceremony that has run well over four hours some years. The 82-year-old Plummer became the oldest acting winner ever for his role as an elderly widower who comes out as gay in Beginners. “You're only two years older than me, darling,” Plummer said, addressing his Oscar statue. “Where have you been all my life? I have a confession to make. When I first emerged from my mother's womb, I was already rehearsing my Oscar speech.”

The previous oldest winner was best-actress recipient Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy. She won at the age of 80. Completing an awards-season blitz that took her from Hollywood bit player to star, Spencer won for her role in The Help as a headstrong black maid whose wilful ways continually land her in trouble with white employers in 1960s Mississippi. Dujardin became the first Frenchman to win an acting Oscar. French actresses have won before, including Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche. “Oh, thank you. Oui. I love your country!” said Dujardin, who plays George Valentin, a silent-film superstar fallen on hard times as the sound era takes over. If George Valentin could speak, Dujardin said, “he'd say... Wow! Merci beaucoup! Genial! Formidable!” Claiming Hollywood's top-filmmaking honour completes Hazanavicius' sudden rise from popular movie-maker back home in France to internationally celebrated director. Hazanavicius had come in as the favourite after winning at the Directors Guild of America Awards, whose recipient almost always goes on to claim the Oscar. The five Oscars for Hugo, which led contenders with 11 nominations, included cinematography, art direction and visual effects. Another beloved big-screen bunch, The Muppets, finally got their due at the Oscars. The Muppets earned the best-song award for “Man or Muppet,” the sweet comic duet sung by Jason Segel and his Muppet brother in the film, the first big-screen adventure in 12 years for Kermit the frog and company. Filmmaker Alexander Payne picked up his second writing Oscar, sharing the adapted-screenplay prize for the Hawaiian family drama The Descendants with co-writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Payne, who also directed The Descendants, previously won the same award for Sideways.Payne said he brought along his mother from Omaha, Neb., to the Oscars, and that she had demanded a shout-out if he made it onstage. “She made me promise that if I ever won another Oscar I had to dedicate it to her just like Javier Bardem did with his Oscar. So mom, this one's for you. Thank you for letting me skip nursery school so we could go to the movies.” Woody Allen earned his first Oscar in 25 years, winning for original screenplay for the romantic fantasy Midnight in Paris, his biggest hit in decades. It's the fourth Oscar for Allen, who won for directing and screenplay on his 1977 best-picture winner Annie Hall and for screenplay on 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters. Allen also is the record-holder for 15 writing nominations, and his three writing Oscars ties the record shared by Charles Brackett, Paddy Chayefsky, Francis Ford Coppola and Billy Wilder. No fan of awards shows, Allen predictably skipped Sunday's ceremony, where he also was up for best director. Rango, with Johnny Depp providing the voice of a desert lizard that becomes a hero to a parched Western town, won for best animated feature. Crystal got the show off to a lively start with a star-laden montage in which he hangs out with Justin Bieber and gets a nice wet kiss from George Clooney. Crystal's return as host seemed appropriate on a night that had Hollywood looking back fondly on more than a century of cinema history. The top two nominees Hugo and The Artist are both love songs to early cinema.

courtesy: The Hindu

                                                                                                              Prof. John Kurakar

METRO RAIL IN KOZHIKODE

METRORAIL IN KOZHIKODE

Metroman E Sreedharan today stating that monorail is viable in Kozhikode, things look bright for realization of the long-pending dream of the people in the city for a mass transit system that would ease traffic congestion. "Monorail system is viable in Kozhikode city," the former Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Chief told reporters after conducting a survey of the alignment for the proposed monorail project.  The funding and other matters would be decided after the proposed discussions with the Kerala Public Works Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju, to be held tomorrow.   Kozhikode District Collector P B Salim accompanied Sreedharan during his visit to the proposed site.  The feasibility report was prepared by Bangalore-based Wilbur Smith Associates.  As per the plan, the monorail will be established from Government Medical College to Meenchanda, a 13-km stretch in the first phase, and in the second phase it would cover the distance from Meenchanda to Ramanattukara. The expected cost as per 2011 estimates is Rs 950 crore.  The proposed monorail would pass through major areas in the city, including Mavoor road, Mananchira, Palayam and Kallai, and also will give access to the mofussil bus and railway stations.

                                                                                                        Prof. John Kurakar

FAST FOOD CULTURE AND CARDIAC RISK

FAST FOOD CULTURE AND CARDIAC RISK 

Cardio-vascular diseases have become the ‘killer No.1' in India, thanks to the fast-food culture and changing life style in the modern globalised scenario A. Thomas Pezzella, world-renowned cardiac surgeon from the Massachusetts Medical School in the United States and founder-director of International Children's Heart Fund has said. “Obesity is a disease resulting from addiction to fast food. The fast-food culture has already invaded China and its invasion in India is fast under way. A concerted effort by the public and private health systems and the medical fraternity is the need of the hour to counter this alarming health risk,” he said.

He said people could access the Internet and get themselves educated on any branch of healthcare, without joining a medical school. The advent of Internet had brought knowledge at the finger-tip of the common people. Kerala, with its improved healthcare system and education on a par with any developed country, could be proud of having skilled human resources, he said. Dr. Cherian said safety of patients and long-term results were his prime considerations and that he personally preferred beating-heart surgery. He said there was no justification in the clamour for a reduced cost of treatment from various quarters at a time when the actual cost of treatment was on the rise with the nurses and paramedical staff demanding a salary increase, besides the expensive technological support hospitals had to depend upon. Dr. Srivastava said as many as 1,20,000 cardiac surgeries were held in India in 2010. As many as 45 million coronary artery disease cases had been diagnosed in India in 2010 alone and the figure was expected to go up to 60 million by 2015.

Dr. Pezzella was of the opinion that India should increase its budget allocation for healthcare and education.

courtesy: The Hindu

                                                                                                             Prof. John Kurakar

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANT CAN ALTER VARIOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANT CAN ALTER VARIOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS

Kerala university zoology department research scholar Divya R Tobas had reveiled that the environmental contaminant can alter various physiological functions including hypothyroid effects in organisams. The study recently won the award for best poster presentation at the international symposium on comparative endocrinology and stress physiology organiused by the department recently. Ammonium per chrolorite a toxic compound commonly used in solid propellents, is and environmental contaminant. Studies reveled that the level of this compound in our groung water system is increasing tremendously.

The experiment model used for the study was climbing perch(Kithakora), a fresh water fish that was accalimatesoce  in the laboratory in both fresh water and saline water samples introduced with varied doses of ammonium per chrpolate for 48 hours. ‘Ammonium per chrolarate is a major oxidizer and is highly water soluable, it readily dissociation in water and noted for its wide spread distruburtion in surface and ground water. ’. industrial effluent is the main source of ammonium per chrolate found in ground water. The study clearly reviled that ammonium per chlorate can alter various physiological functions like hypothyroidsm and homeostartsis by disrupting sodium pump activity in mammals including humans. 

                                                                                                       Prof. John Kurakar

Polio Virus Under Control

POLIO VIRUS UNDER CONTROL

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has removed India from the list of polio-endemic countries, suggesting that the wild polio virus had been totally eliminated from the environment. The disease paralysed thousands of children every year for several decades. This announcement was made by Health and Family Planning Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here at the Polio Summit 2012 in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, amidst a thunderous applause. The feat came after India successfully completed an entire year without an incidence of polio. Mr. Azad said he received a letter from the United Nations body stating that the “WHO has taken India's name off the list of polio endemic countries in view of the remarkable progress that we have made during the past one year.” However, India will have to remain polio free for two more years before it is declared polio-free by the WHO. There were only four countries in the WHO endemic list, including Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan. India reported its last polio case on January 13, 2011 in West Bengal. In 2009, it reported 741 polio cases, more than anywhere else in the world. In 2010 only 42 cases were reported against 1.5 lakh in 1985. “We are greatly encouraged by the splendid progress that we have made during the last one year. We are aware that we cannot drop our guard,” Mr Azad said while drawing attention to the persistent risks of indigenous transmission and importations from other endemic countries. “We have, therefore, put in place an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan across the country. Under this plan, there is going to be zero tolerance for any new polio case and such a case will be declared as a public health emergency,” the Minister said.

Rapid response teams have already been formed in all States to respond to any polio case. In addition, we have alerted all the States bordering the neighbouring countries to strengthen surveillance for early detection of any imported polio virus. Special booths have been established on the Wagah border and the Attari train station in Punjab, and the Munabao train station in Rajasthan to ensure that all children under the age of 5 coming from across the border are given polio drops. Reaffirming India's commitment to achieving full immunisation, Dr. Singh said the real credit should go to to the 23 lakh volunteers who repeatedly vaccinated children even in the most remote areas often in very bad weather conditions. “We must ensure every child, rich or poor, whether living in Ladakh or in Delhi, has equal access to the best immunisation.” Dr. Singh also emphasised the need for providing nutritious food, safe drinking water, proper sanitation and education, in addition to universal access to safe vaccines. Recounting how India reached the first step for becoming a polio-free country, Mr. Azad said 27 per cent of the global expenditure on polio eradication came from the country's domestic resources. More than 99 per cent coverage of children in the two remaining endemic States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh was unprecedented, not witnessed anywhere else in the world on such a large scale.

courtesy: The Hindu , Aarti Dhar

                                                                                                                                       Prof. John Kurakar

COCONUT CLIMBING MACHINE

COCONUT CLIMBING MACHINE

Women of Kerala are scaling new heights. Meet Reena, who has been trained to pluck coconuts.

Those crossing the Pallikkara railway gate in Kasaragod cannot but notice this entrepreneur, surrounded by heaps of tender nuts, most of which she herself plucks. She sells about 200 nuts daily and earns around Rs. 1,000. “After attending the coconut-climbing programme, I'm able to pluck nuts myself and save on the harvesting cost of Rs.3 apiece,” the mother of two, who has studied up to Class X, says.

She plans to form a women's self-help group to make coconut-based, value-added products such as tender coconut lassi.

“Apart from making me financially secure and independent, this helps me gain self-confidence and self-esteem,” she says. Her average work-day lasts 12 hours. Whenever she gets the opportunity, she works as a bus driver as well.

courtesy: The Hindu 

Indeed, with traditional coconut-pluckers turning a vanishing tribe in the State, getting the nut down from atop had in recent years turned out to be a headache. There have been efforts by individual inventors, aided by government agencies, to design and commercialise mechanical climbers that would enable virtually anyone to go up the trunk. And some models have indeed proved themselves up to the task.

The tougher part was to get people interested in acquiring the skill. The Coconut Development Board, working through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of the Kerala Agricultural University and Krishi Bhavans, recently came up with a scheme to train groups of people, including women, to use the devices to climb and pluck the nuts.

 In recent months, a large number of women, primarily in the northern parts of the State, have been trained in going up the tree using the mechanised climbing devices.

Women who complete the programme have also been trained and encouraged to take up coconut-related small businesses that they can run on their own. Several of them have started tender coconut parlours – confident and competent enough to harvest the nuts themselves and sell them from roadside units, often with some value-addition. The KVK in Kasaragod, attached to the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), has organised nine training programmes in which 180 rural youth have participated. The fifth batch of the programme gained media attention as it was an all-woman batch. The KVK training programme in “mechanical palm climbing and plant protection,” is meant to develop a professional group of youths as “Friends of the Coconut Palm.” They would learn to harvest coconuts, manage the trees and undertake crop protection. Many women who have mastered climbing felt the task was daunting initially but soon turned out to be unbelievably effortless. The highlight of the training programmes is exposure to prepare value-added products from the coconut. CPCRI Director George V. Thomas lauded the efforts of the ‘Friends of Coconut Palm' in making coconut farming women-friendly. Reena readily provided her telephone number for anyone who may want to contact her: 097443 58365.

courtesy: The Hindu, M. J. PRABHU

                                                                                                                           Prof John Kurakar

                                                                                                                                              

KOTTARA ALUMOOTIL KUDUMBAYOGAM

KOTTARA ALUMOOTIL KUDUMBAYOGAM

The ancient pakalomattom kottara alummootil family members organized Alummootil kudumbayogam. Over 250 homes are the members of this kudumbayogam. Mr. O Jacob Muthali was the founder of Alummootil family. The family established in 1735 at Kottara. The root history of the Kottara Alummootil is from Chathannor ValiyaVeedu, Manjadi Vilakathu, Pooyapally Kizhakkadathu and Kottara Alummootil.

Alummode, Cherukarakunnu, Palekunnu, Vazhavila, Vadakke Charuvila, Thekkacharuvila, Kodattu, Thenguvila, Kolakode, Kodattukizhakke vazhavila, Nadukkunnu Thenguvila, Kannolivila, Pattazhi valiyavilayil, Nellikunnu puthenpurayil are the branches of kottara alummottil kudumbayogam.

The inauguration of Kottara Alummottil kudumbayogam(Kurakar's mothers family) was held at kottara thenguvila puthenveedu - residence of G Kochummen on 18th Feburary 2012. Mr. Cheriyan P Koshy(Scientist, Palode Botanical gardens)was the chief guest. Mr.B Jacob, Principal Higher secondary school kannanalloor presided.

The meeting started with prayers by Mr. K Y Johnson. Mr. KO rajukutty chairman Ymen International ecumenical center released logo and handbook. Mr.G Thomas , Treasurer welcomed the gathering. Mr.PJ roy presented the family report. Mr. J kunjandi, Prof. G Jacob, G Kunjappan, PC Baby, G jacob , George Kollam, Kunjachan VK , K Mathew Nellithanathu spoke on the occasion. The senior member of the family K Vargheese padinjare veeddu inaugurated family membership campaign. PG Thomas expressed vote of thanks. The family meet concluded with prayer at 5.30pm

                                                                                            Prof. John Kurakar

FOUNDATION STONE LAID TO KURAKARAN KUDUMBAYOGAM AUDITORIUM

FOUNDATION STONE LAID TO KURAKARAN AUDITORIUM AT KIZHAKKETHERUVE KURAKARAN CULTURAL CENTER

kurakaran cultural center

Rev.Kurakaran AC Kuriyan 

Stone laid by Rev. AC Kurian

view of audience 

inaugural speech 

audience

Audience

Audience

Receiving donation from Rev. AC Kurian 

Welcome speech

Dakshina to Mashiri

vote of thanks by PMG Kurakaran

Very rev A C Kurian , vicar general (Rtd) laid stone on 20^th February 2012 at 9.30 am at kurakaran cultural center at kizhakketheruvu. The kudumbayogam conducted a meeting at the center on 20^th February at 10 am. Mr. Kurakaran  A C Thomas president kudumbayogam presided. The function started with group prayers lead by Rev. A.C  Kurian. Mr. Jacob Mathew Kurakaran welcomed the gathering.  Over 45 members participated in the special meeting. Mr P M G Kurakaran  expressed vote of thanks. Rev A.C Kurian , A C Thomas, Jacob Mathew Kurakaran, Prof. Molly Kurakar, Mr. Bobby Kurakar, Mr. Manu Kurakar, Mr. Varghese Kurakar, Mr. PMG Kurakaran, Mrs. Susamma Varghese, Mrs. Omana Lukose ,Mr. M George, Mr. T Abraham, Mr. KC George, Mr. PG Achen Kunju, Mr. Kunjumon Thomas, Mr. Thomas Mathew, Mr. John Mathew, Mr. G Thankachan, Mr. KG Alex ,Mr. VA Alex , Prof Jacob Thomas, Mrs. Sherly Johnson, Mrs. Podiyamma Babu, Mrs. Kunjumon Thomas, Mrs. Aniamma Alex, Mrs. Chinnamma John ,Mr. KC Kunjachan, Mr. Alex Thoppilayikathu, Mr. Thankachan(Alexander), Mr. K Joseph Thekkethil ,Mr. Nithin Johnson.

                                                                               

                                                                                                                              Prof. John Kurakar

ITALIAN SHIP MEN SHOT DEAD TWO INDIAN FISHERMEN

ITALIAN SHIP MEN SHOT DEAD TWO INDIAN FISHERMEN 

Italian oil tanker ‘Enrica Lexie’ whose marines shot dead two Indian fisherman on Wednesday February 15 2012. The police bounded the ship to bring the two persons and also captain of the tanker Umberto Vilellie for questioning. The Indian fishermen were in india’s exclusive economic zone. The external affairs minister Krishna told the Italian ambassador that those responsible for killing two Indians must submit to the law of the land. The minister also told its Italian counterpart that ships captain and personal involved in the shooting must operate with Indian authorities. The chief minister Mr.Oommen Chandy consoled Valantine’s wife Daura an sons, Derick and Jean, and assured them that the government was duty-bound to assist the family.

After hetic negotiations, the kerala police arrested two marines suspected to have fired the shots from the Italian oil tanker that killed two Indian fishermen. The police brought in two marines, Lactorie Massimilliono and Selvatore Geronde for further investigation. The ship would have to stay put in kochi for at least two weeks for the investigation and leagal procedures. Italian deputy foreign minister Mr. Staffan D Mistura said on 25^th feb in kochi that “it was a mistake, they were genuine fishermen”. The Italian marines expressed satisfaction over the way the kerala police treated them.

Despite the Special Investigating Team (SIT) remaining tight-lipped about the details of the weapons seized during the search done onboardEnrica Lexie , the Italian-flagged oil tanker from which two Indian fishermen were shot dead, it is learnt that seven guns were among the material seized on Saturday. According to information available, guns seized included pieces of Berretta ARX 160, assault rifles used by the Italian armed forces. Though nearly 35 weapons were found onboard, the police seized only those matching the weapon suspected to have been used to shoot the fishermen off the Kollam coast on February 15. The weapons seized and offloaded from the ship, along with other evidence, on Saturday morning were moved to the Harbour police station. Sources in the SIT said these would be presented to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kollam, on Monday and then to the Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram. The weapon involved in the incident can be ascertained only after a scientific examination. “We have given a letter to speed up the process to support the investigation,” said one of the officers in the SIT. The search and seizure of weapons was made in the presence of two ballistic experts from Carabinieri, the Italian police, as requested by the Italian side.

The two arrested Italian marines, Latorre Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, are housed at the CISF guest house here for interrogation. The Kollam court had given them in police custody for 10 days. Interrogation and verification of statements given by the marines are going on. R. Jayaraj, Circle Inspector, Neendakara Coastal Police, and his team are camping here to continue the interrogation process. Sources said the marines would not be taken to Kollam on Monday. In a related development, the Cochin Port Trust is awaiting communication from the shipping agent to initiate steps to move Enrica Lexie from the Cochin Oil Terminal, where it is berthed now, to the outer sea.

Port sources said that one ship, named Jawaharlal Nehru , was already waiting in the outer sea and another one, Swarnakamal , is due to arrive on Monday.

                                                                                                                                   Prof.John Kurakar

Geevarghese Mar Osthathios Passed away

GEEVARGHESE MAR OSTHATHIOS PASSED AWAY

Geevarghese Mar Osthathios, senior-most Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, passed away at St. Gregorios Mission Hospital at Parumala on Thursday evening(16/02/2012). He was 94.

The Metropolitan had been undergoing treatment for cardiac ailment in the intensive care unit of the hospital. The death occurred at 7.25 p.m., hospital sources said. Born to Ezhakkad Munduvelil Kochitty-Mariyamma couple at Mavelikara on December 9, 1918, Mar Osthathios was widely known within and outside India as a prophet of social justice and a propagator of the universal religion of love.

He had his preliminary education at various educational institutions at Cherukol, Pathichira, and Mavelikara and higher education in America. He received his priesthood from Baselius Geevarghese II, the then Catholicos of the East, and became Fr. M.V. George on May 10, 1956. He became a Ramban on October 2, 1974, and was consecrated as bishop by Baselius Augen, the then Catholicos of the East, at St. Mary's Church, Niranom, on April 1, 1975. Author of as many as 56 books (13 of them in English), Mar Osthathios was a renowned theologian, thinker, orator, and writer. His passion for justice, equality, sharing, and love was grounded in the Christian doctrine of Holy Trinity.

                                                                                                                                         Prof. John Kurakar

RICH TRIBUTE PAID TO Dr.GEEVARGHESE MAR OSTHATHIOS

RICH TRIBUTE PAID TO

Dr.GEEVARGHESE MAR OSTHATHIOS

Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios, senior bishop of malankara orthodox church passed away on today 16-02-2012. Thirumeni was admitted to parumala hospital last Friday as he developed chest pain an fever. After two days he was badly affected by the infection and he was also partly disoriented for some time.

His Grace was born to Munduvelil family in Cherukole, Mavelikara in 1918 as the second son of late Kochitty and Mariamma. He studied up to the seventh standard at Salvation Army School, Cherukole and did his high school studies at St. John’s High School, Pathichira and B. H School, Mavelikara. He passed TTC from St. John’s Rural Basic Training School, Sasthamkotta and taught at Idayaranmula Free School and B. H. High School, and St. John’s School, Pathichira.

He had his BD from Leonard Theological Seminary, Jabalpur and earned MA in Philosophy from Drew University, New Jersey, and STM from Union Theological Seminary, New York. The Senate of Serampore (India) honored him with an honorary Doctorate in 1993. He was made a Sub-Deacon by Augen Mar Thimothios, in 1948 and H. H. Baselios Geevarghese II, the Catholicos ordained him as a Deacon in 1956. The Catholicos ordained him as a priest in 1956. In 1975 he was consecrated as a Bishop and in 1976 His Grace became the Metropolitan of Niranam Diocese. In 2005, His Grace took voluntary retirement from Diocesan responsibilities. His Grace leads a serene and fruitful life at MTC, Mavelikara, which he started in 1958 to train the missionaries of Malankara Church. 

                                          Interview with Dr.Geevargheese Mar Osthathios

His Grace took many important positions in the Church. HG was the President of Servant of the Cross Society and Orthodox Youth Movement. He was the President of KCC and Bible Society Kerala Auxiliary. He was the Vice-Principal of Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam. He was a member of the Faith and Order Commission of WCC, and a member of the Pro-Oriente Foundation. He represented our Church in many national and international conferences. He was a recognized theologian who has many books to his credit Theology of a Classless Society, The Sin of Being Rich in a Poor World, Sharing God and a Sharing World, One Religion of Love are a few to mention by name. 

                                                                      Prof John Kurakar