KOCHI: Funeral of Professor M P Varghese, secretary of the Mar Athanasius college association, will be held at 12 noon at St Stephen's Besania church cemetery, Chelad on Thursday.It was on Tuesday that Prof M P Varghese died due to cardiac arrest.
His body was kept for the public to pay homage on Wednesday. People from different walks of life paid their last respects to Prof Varghese. A former MLA, Prof Varghese made his mark in various fields as an economist, social activist, legal expert, environmentalist, organiser and agriculturist.
He became an MLA in 1952. He is the founder secretary of Mar Athanasius college association in 1953, Mar Athanasius College, Mar Athanasius Engineering College and Athanasius College High School which were established in 1955, 1961 and 1966 respectively. Mar Baselios College, Adimali was established in 2003. He played a role in establishing Mar Baselios Training College in 2005 and Mar Athanasius International School in 2008. He served as the principal of Mar Athanasius College from 1963 to 1982.
After completing education in India he pursued his research in Oxford University from 1957-58.
He was in the forefront of a popular protest against the establishment of a nuclear plant in Boothathankettu and was the founder chairman of Organisation for Protection from Nuclear Radiation (OPNR). He also formed an Organisation for the Promotion of Technical Education in Kerala (OPTEK). He established an organisation of farmers for the establishment of rights with the aim of protecting and revamping the agricultural sector.
As a recognition for his services, he has been awarded Acharya Award, Akshaya Nidhi Puraskaram, Prakriti Mithra Award, Desharatna Puraskaram, Vikas Award, Sevanapathram and Suvarna Rekha awards.
He is the author of scholarly books like 'A Criticism of Keynes General theory', 'The theory of economic potential and growth', 'A critique of the nuclear programme', The law of land acquisition and compensation A criticism'.
He is survived by wife Mary Varghese Manjayil and children.