History of St.Thomas College Pala, Kottayam Kerala

1954: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru addresses from the main building

FACETS OF HISTORY

The genesis of the St. Thomas College, Palai can be traced back towards the end of the first quarter of the previous century, when a small group of dedicated public men of the place took a daring initiative to found a college. But the social situation prevailing then as also the technical formalities and practical hurdles confronting such a venture forced them to postpone their attempt.

The second attempt came towards the end of the 1930s, also didn’t materialise as the University of Madras informed its reluctance to affiliate the college as the Travancore Government under the Maharaja and the Diwan had already taken steps to establish an University in the state. Hence the move for the college had to be dropped again for the time being, waiting for the coming up of the Travancore University.

It was after India’s independence in 1947 when a democratic and responsible government was established in the state that efforts were affoot again for the establishment of an Arts & Science College at Palai. This time the attempt received a boost when a committee for the purpose was formally formed, under the blessings of Bishop James Kalasserry, with Fr. Sebastian Vayalil as president. Fr. Sebastian Vayalil consecrated as the first Bishop of Palai Dioceses in 1950, the very year of the founding of the college

St. Thomas College Profile

1976: Mrs Indira Gandhi Inagurating the Silver Jubilee Celebrations

1950: Laying the foundation stone by His Grace Dr. Mathaias S.D.B Archbishop of Madras

1953:Dr.Kailas Nath Kaitju Home Minister of Indian union at the college

1948	15 Aug:	Application for the college submitted to Travancore University.
	21 Oct.:	Sanction obtained from the University.
1949	22 Aug.:	Fr. Mani Sebastian Vayalilkalapura (Mar Sebastian Vayalil) elected President of the college committee.
1950	*Jan:*	Dr. P.J. Thomas, Economic Advisor to the Govt. of India, appointed Principal.
1950	16 April.:	The foundation stone of the main building laid by His Grace Dr. Mathias S.D.B., Archbishop of Madras.
	*7 Aug.:*	St. Joseph’s Block blessed and Intermediate classes begun
	9 Nov.:	The episcopal ordination of Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the first Bishop of Palai.
1952	15 April.:	Rev. Fr. Joseph Kureethadam appointed Principal.
	26 Oct:	Foundation stone of Christu Raj Hostel laid by Mar. Sebastian Vayalil.
1953	June:	B.Sc. Mathematics., B.Sc. Botany and B.A. Economics begun.
	1 Dec.:	“Tisserant Hall” (A Block) blessed by H.E. Eugene Cardinal Tisserant.
1954	June:	B.Sc. Chemistry begins.
		Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, visits the College.
1955	June:	B.Sc. Zoology and B.A. Politics started.
1956	June:	Pre-university course replaces the Intermediate Course.
1957	2 Feb	Christu Raj Hostel inaugurated by Dr. B. Rama Krishna Rao, Governor of Kerala.
1957	June:	Three year Degree course introduced.
		B.Sc. Physics started
		The college has the first P.G. Course - M.A. Hindi.
		Msgr. Philip Valiyil takes over as Manager
	Dec.: 21	Inauguration of the Swimming Pool by H.E. B. Ramakrishna Rao, Governor of Kerala.
1959	June:	M.A. Politics, M.Sc. Statistics and B.A. Malayalam started.
1961	June:	M.Sc. Botany, B.A. English and B.Com. introduced.
1962	19 Feb:	Inauguration of the Auditorium and the Library Building (B. Block) by Shri. V.V. Giri, Governor of Kerala.
1963	March	The Students' Centre opened
1963	June	Girls admitted to the P.G. and Pre-University Courses
1964	June	M.Sc. Chemistry started
1964	June	Two year Pre-Degree Course introduced in place of P.U.C.
1965	June	M.A English and M.Sc. Physics started.
1966	June	B.A., B.Sc. reorganized and B.Sc. (Special) course introduced.
1967	Jan	A week-long Arts Festival.
		Fathima Matha hostel blessed by Mar Sebastian Vayalil.
		German and Latin introduced as Pre-Degree second languages.
	July	M.A. Economics and M.Sc. Mathematics started.
		C. Block opened.
1968	10 Feb:	Msgr. Kureethadam retires and Rev. Dr. N.M. Thomas takes over as Principal on 11 Feb.
1969	May	Students Lunch Home opened
1970	July	Hindi Dept. becomes an approved Research Centre (Ph.D.)
1973	15 Aug:	Bishop Joseph Pallickaparampil’s Episcopal ordination.
1974		Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil takes over as Manager.
	30 April	St. Philip’s Hostel blessed and inaugurated by Mar Sebastian Vayalil.
1976	12 Feb:	St. Thomas College celebrates its Silver Jubilee with Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi as the Chief guest.
	31 Mar	Dr. N.M. Thomas retires and Prof. P.M. Chacko takes over as Principal on 1 April.
	June	Bio-Chemistry offered as Subsidiary for B.Sc. Chemistry.
1978	2 Aug:	The University Study Centre opened.
1979	Aug:	Shift system introduced for the Pre-Degree Course.
	Oct:	Students' Centre extended.
1980	29 Mar	Foundation stone for the new P.G. Block (G. Block) laid by Mar Sebastian Vayalil.
1981	25 Mar	Mar Sebastian Vayalil retires and Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil takes over as the Bishop of Palai and Patron of the College.
	1 May	Msgr. Kurian Vanchipurackal appointed Manager of the College.
	July	Pre-Degree Commerce group begun.
	Dec:	M.Com. begun.
1983	March	Bishop Vayalil Block (G Block) opened by Sri. P. Ramachandran, Governor of Kerala.
1983	Dece:	Affiliation of the College gets transferred from Kerala University, Tvm. to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. [UGC letter No. F8-53/84 (CP/MP) dated 26.12.1984]
	1 Nov:	Shift system discontinued
1984	March	Msgr. Kureethadam Hall opened
	24 Mar	Bishop Vayalil Gate Inaugurated
1984	8 Aug:	Prof. P.M. Chacko retires and Fr. James Vellankal succeeds him as Principal.
1984	1 June	Msgr. Joseph Mattam appointed Manager
1986	31 Mar:	Fr. James Vellankal retires and Fr. O.P. Eanas takes charge as Principal.
	21 Nov:	Mar Sebastian Vayalil passes away.
1986	Dec:	Depts. of English, Politics and Chemistry become approved Research Centres.
1991	6 July	The new Physics Lab inaugurated by Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil.
	19 Mar:	Fr. O.P. Eanas retires.
		Fr. Philip Njaralakattu takes over as Principal on 20 March.
	Sep:	Jimmy George Memorial Stadium inaugurated by Shri. M.M. Jacob, Minister for Home Affairs, Govt. of India.
1995	31 Mar:	Fr. Philip Njaralakattu retires.
		Rev. Dr. Kurian Mattam appointed Principal on 1 April.
	29 July	Rev. Fr. Philip Njaralakattu becomes the Manager.
	Nov:	M.A. Malayalam started.
1996	Feb:	Malayalam Dept. becomes an approved Research Centre
	June	UGC Sponsored B.A. Communicative English started.
1997	12 June	Departments of Mathematics and Statistics approved as Research Centres.
	November	Chief Minister E.K Nayanar Inaugurates the valedictory of Golden jubilee celebrations of Indian independence.

1998	June	Pre-Degree delinking begins.
1998	26 Aug:	Foundation stone for the new Library Block laid by Mar. Joseph Pallickaparambil.
	24 Nov:	B.Sc. Chemistry-Vocational (Semester system) started.
1999	13 Dec:	B.A. History-Vocational (Semester system) started.
2000	1-10 Jan:	Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the College - ‘Millennium Expo’ and ‘Millennium Nites’ inaugurated by Sri. M.M. Jacob, Governor of Meghalaya.
	Feb:	Visit of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) peer team. The college assesed at four star level by NAAC
	June	The college selected as the Best Christian college in India by Xavier Board of Higher Education.
	8 Aug:	St. Thomas College Computer Institute started.
	12 Dec:	Research Centre in Physics inaugurated by Dr. Cyriac Thomas, Vice Chancellor, M.G. University.
2001	5 Mar:	Valedictory of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the College. Chief guest :Our alumnus Justice K.G Balakrishnan, Supreme court of India.
	31 Mar:	Rev. Dr. Kurian Mattam retires and Rev. Dr. M.M. Mathew Maleparampil takes over as Principal on 1.4.2001.
		Pre-Degree delinking completed.
2001	June:	Semester system introduced for P.G. Courses.
	Aug:	M.Sc. (IT) Course started.
2002	May:	Botany Dept. becomes an approved research centre.
	4 Oct:	Centre for Mathematical Science inaugurated.
	21 Oct:	M.Sc. Bio-Technology started.
	November	Health Club blessed by Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil.
	December	Dept. of Statistics selected for the DST-FIST Support ( Rs. 27.5 Lakhs )
2003	Feb:	St. Thomas emerges as Champion of Champions College in Kerala Games.
2004	31 Mar:	DST-FIST Computer lab of the Dept. of Stastistics setup.
	20 Apr:	New Library building blessed by Mar Jeseph Pallickaparampil.
	2 May:	Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil retires and Mar Joseph Kallarangattu takes over as the Bishop of Palai and Patron of the college.
	26 July:	Dr. P. J. Thomas Centre for Social Sciences & Research Inaugurated.
	4 Aug:	M.Sc. Applied Microbiology started.
	December	Principal Rev.Dr. M.M. Mathew gets the AICHE Award for the Best Principals of India.
2005	1 Feb:	Msgr. O.P. Eanas Ottathengunkal appointed as the new Manager.
	18 Aug:	M. Sc. Bio-Statistics Started under UGC innovative programme.
	November	4000 + E journals at M.G. University study center in the campus.
2006	16 Mar:	Golden Jubilee Library inaugurated by H. E. Mar Joseph Kallarangatt
	30 Mar:	Bio-statistics Computer Lab. inaugurated.
	31 Mar:	Rev. Dr. M.M. Mathew Maleparambil retires and Rev. Dr. Mathew John takes over as Principal on 1-4-2006.
	October	Center for Mathematical Sciences gets DST major research grant Rs. 2.05 Crores under IRHPA Programme.