Koruth Ittiyavira Kurichiyethu Vattadiyil

Koruth Ittiyavira was one among the eleven laymen who gathered along with Rev. Thomas Kottureth for prayer in the Kallissery Mallika on beginning and founding day of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association. 5th September, 1888. This was the beginning and founding day of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association.

K. K. Kuruvilla Kurichiyethu

K.K. Kuruvilla was an outstanding spiritual and a political leader in the 20th century. After completing his Masters degree he went for Theological training at Princeton University in America. He started his career as a Missionary in North Karnataka. He was the Head Master of M.T. Seminary High school and first Principal of Mar Thoma Theological Seminary Kottayam. He was an elected member of the Travancore Legislative Council.
K.K.Kuruvila was actively involved in the Indian Freedom Movement and was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He had served in many important bodies in the Mar Thoma Church.

K .C. Thomas Kinattukara

K. C. Thomas was Sunday school missionary and a lay leader in the Parish. He was acclaimed for moving presentation of Bible stories thus leading many children to personal commitment to Christ. He got special training from the Sunday School Samajam to work among the Sunday school children. K.C. Thomas travelled widely in Kerala presenting Christ. Many youths were led to commitment to Christ through his passionate appeal. His fervent messages led many to repentance and evoked spiritual revival in and around Niranam.

M.P. George Manalel Plappuzhathu

M .P. George was a teacher and Head Master of Niranam Jerusalam Sunday school for many years. He was a teacher in the Niranam St. Mary’s High School. He was an orator. He got special Sunday school training from the Samajam and was a teacher trainer. He had a deep knowledge of the Word of God and also had a fairly good knowledge of English Literature. He took regular Bible classes in the prayer groups and often preached in the Sunday worship. He was also a good translator. He was Sunday School Inspector and he served as secretary of the parish for many years. M. P. George was a great influence to many lives of his days. He also served as Correspondent in the Mar Thoma School Manager’s office for some years.

Mariyakutty Sanyasini Koothappallil

Mariyakutty Sanyasini had her early education in nearby schools in Niranam. At the age of fourteen she dedicated herself to become a full time Gospel worker. She was attracted to the fervent messages of Sadhu Kochukunju and charity work of foreign Medical mission sisters. In order to fulfill her call, Mariyakutty Sanyasini left home and started her mission work in Thuthukkudi in Tamil Nadu. During that time Cholera decease spread out in many villages in and around Thuthukkudi. Risking her own life she visited the sick people and provided nursing care for them. Through her committed work, many villagers came to know Christ. Mariyakutty Sanyasini was a good and faithful servant in God’s vineyard.

Dr. Samuel Paul Vazhapallil

Dr. Samuel Paul belongs to the Vazhapallil family in Niranam. After taking his Ph.D in Economics from Syracuse University America he did his post Doctoral studies at Harvard Business School. He was lecturer at U C College Aluva and Mar Thoma College Tiruvalla for Short periods. He is an international scholar of reputation, author and Institution builder.

Dr. Paul was a professor of Economics and later Director of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad from 1964-85. Afterwards he became an advisor on public sector management at the World Bank in Washingtone (1985-1991). He was on the staff of Harvard Business School, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs. He was also a special adviser to the United Nations Commission on Transnational Corporation, UNDP, ILO, and other international agencies, and has served on the Boards of several international research centres. On his return to India in 1992, he set up the Public Affairs Centre in Bangalore, known for its “citizen report cards”. In India, he has been a Director on the Boards of the State Bank of India and the Industrial Finance Corporation of India.

Dr Paul has published numerous scholarly articles in national and international journals. He is author of ten books. His latest book (editor) is Fighting corruption: The Way forward (Academic foundation)

Dr. Paul has been a member of the Expert Committee for the Prime Minister’s for Excellence in Government, the committee on greater Bangalore and Karnataka Government’s Vision 20/20 Panel. He is the recipient of “Padma Sri”, one of the highest honors of the Government of India, the Jit Gill Memorial Global Award of the World Bank for outstanding public service, the Fred Riggs Award of the American Society of Public Administration, the All India Management Association’s Nohria Award for outstanding contribution to Management Education. Now, he along with his wife resides in Bangalore.