K. V. Thomas
{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{distinguish|T. V. Thomas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name =Kuruppassery Varkey Thomas
| image = KV Thomas.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1946|05|10}}
| birth_place = Kumbalangi, Kingdom of Cochin, British India
(present day Ernakulam, Kerala, India)
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = Sacred Heart College, Thevara{{Cite web |url=http://mathrubhuminews.in/ee/ReadMore/11659/sacred-hearts-met-at-delhi-after-many-years/ |title=Mathrubhumi: ReadMore -'Sacred Hearts' met at Delhi after many years' |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-date=27 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227014453/http://mathrubhuminews.in/ee/ReadMore/11659/sacred-hearts-met-at-delhi-after-many-years |url-status=dead}}
| office = Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
| term_start = 19 January 2011
| term_end = 26 May 2014
| primeminister = Manmohan Singh
| predecessor = Sharad Pawar
| successor = Ram Vilas Paswan
| office1 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| constituency1 = Ernakulam
| term_start1 = 2009
| term_end1 = 2019
| predecessor1 = Sebastian Paul
| successor1 = Hibi Eden
| term_start2 = 1984
| term_end2 = 1996
| constituency2 = Ernakulam
| predecessor2 = Xavier Arakkal
| successor2 = Xavier Arakkal
| office3 = Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
| term_start3 = 2001
| term_end3 = 2009
| constituency3 = Ernakulam
| predecessor3 = Sebastian Paul
| successor3 = Dominic Presentation
| party = Indian National Congress
{{small|(1978{{endash}}2022)}}
Independent Since 2022
| father = K. D. Varkey
| mother = Rosa Varkey
| spouse = Sherly Thomas
| children = 3
| footnotes =
| source =
}}
{{Indian name|Thomas|Kuruppassery Varkey}}
Kurupassery Varkey Thomas (born 10 May 1946) is an Indian politician from Kumbalangi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. He represented Ernakulam Constituency from 1984 to 1996 and further from 2009 to 2019. He was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Minister of State - Independent Charge in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, 2nd UPA Government;[http://india.gov.in/govt/cabinet.php Govt. of India Council of Ministers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031092842/http://india.gov.in/govt/cabinet.php |date=31 October 2012 }} a member of the Indian Parliament;[http://164.100.47.134/newls/homepage.aspx?mpsno=3209 Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members' Home Page]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and was a member of All India Congress Committee from[http://www.kpcc.org.in/html/aiccmembers.html AICC Members from Kerala] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614091109/http://www.kpcc.org.in/html/aiccmembers.html |date=14 June 2009 }} 1984 to 2022. Thomas was also Minister of Toutism, Fisheries & Excise in the A.K. Antony Ministry in Kerala from 2001 to 2005 and was also Member of Legislative Assembly representing Ernakulam from 2001 till 2009. He is now the Special Representative of Government of Kerala at New Delhi with Cabinet rank.
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.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}
Career
File:Cardinal Mar George Alencherry and K V Thomas.jpg 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 .[http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/brief-profilesthe-ministersstateindependent-charge/63057/on Brief profiles of Ministers of State][http://niyamasabha.org/codes/members.htm Kerala Legislature - Members] He served as the Minister for Excise and Tourism and Minister for Tourism and Fisheries between 2001 and 2004 in Government of Kerala.{{Cite web |url=http://keralaassembly.org/lok/sabha/biodata.php4?no=34&name=K.%20V.%20 |title=Thomas Biodata of Mr. K. V. Thomas in Kerala Assembly election data base |access-date=29 May 2009 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193351/http://keralaassembly.org/lok/sabha/biodata.php4?no=34&name=K.%20V.%20 |url-status=dead }} 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.[http://niyamasabha.org/codes/members/thomaskv.pdf Profile of Prof. K. V. Thomas in Kerala legislative assembly website.] Retrieved on 29, May 2009 He served as the chairman of PAC (Public Accounts Committee) for three years from 2014 to 2017.{{Cite web |url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/RN8772KlalWN0qRkHUNPlI/Mallikarjun-Kharge-set-to-become-next-PAC-chairman.html |title=Mallikarjun Kharge set to become next PAC chairman |date=15 March 2017}}
On 10 April 2022, Thomas attended a seminar in Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s 23rd party Congress in Kannur.{{cite news |last1=May 13 |first1=IANS / |title=KV Thomas, the modern day 'Judas': Congress {{!}} India News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kv-thomas-the-modern-day-judas-congress/articleshow/91536072.cms |work=The Times of India |language=en}} For this he was officially removed from key party posts. 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.{{cite news |title=K V Thomas claims he has no communication about his expulsion from Congress |url=https://theprint.in/india/k-v-thomas-claims-he-has-no-communication-about-his-expulsion-from-congress/954191/ |work=ThePrint |date=13 May 2022}}{{cite news |title=Former Union Minister KV Thomas Expelled From Congress |url=https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/former-union-minister-kv-thomas-expelled-from-congress-2971151 |work=NDTV.com}}
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.[http://kvthomas.in/forms/profile.aspx?linkId=6&linkLvl1Id=5 Profile Prof. K. V. Thomas in his Election Website.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721162628/http://kvthomas.in/forms/profile.aspx?linkId=6&linkLvl1Id=5 |date=21 July 2011 }} Retrieved on 29, May 2009
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).
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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20041226052653/http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/18/stories/2004111817170300.htm Release the book `Ente Kumbalanghi' written by K. V. Thomas] The Hindu. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 29, May 2009 Since then he has published five more books.[http://kvthomas.in/content/viewcontent.aspx?linkId=9&linkLvl1Id=5 Books Published by K. V. Thomas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521132348/http://www.kvthomas.in/content/viewcontent.aspx?linkId=9&linkLvl1Id=5 |date=21 May 2009 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|K. V. Thomas}}
- [http://kvthomas.in Prof. K V Thomas's Official Election Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412070029/http://www.kvthomas.in/ |date=12 April 2009 }}
- [http://india.gov.in/outerwin.php?id=http://parliamentofindia.gov.in Fifteenth Lok Sabha - Prof. K.V.Thomas's Bio profile page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606195921/http://india.gov.in/outerwin.php?id=http://parliamentofindia.gov.in |date=6 June 2009 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100922115006/http://www.stateofkerala.in/niyamasabha/K%20V%20THOMAS.php Prof. K. V. Thomas - A brief biography]
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef | before = Sebastian Paul}}
{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament from Ernakulam | years = 2009 – 2019}}
{{s-aft | after=Hibi Eden}}
{{end}}
{{Cabinet of Manmohan Singh}}
{{16th LS members from Kerala}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, K. V.}}
Category:Union ministers of state of India
Category:Politicians from Kochi
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala
Category:Lok Sabha members from Kerala