KOCHI: The centenary celebrations of the formation of Anglo-Indian Association in Kerala, organised by Anglo-Indian Educational & Charitable Society, will be held from March 11 to 20. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla, Minister for Industries P Rajeeve, Hibi Eden, MP, T J Vinod, MLA, Justice Conrad S Dias of Kerala High Court, former Minister Prof K V Thomas, and other dignitaries will participate in the celebrations, a release said here.
It was on March 11, 1922, that Chev. Paul Luiz convened a meeting of leaders of the then European descendants in the states of Cochin and Travancore at Perumanoor, Cochin, and formed the first Association for Anglo-Indians in the state. Later, Anglo-Indians in Malabar were also enrolled in this association.
This meeting elected Chev. Paul Luiz as president and Prof S F Nunez as secretary. Among the prominent persons who attended were C Jockin Luiz, Dominic D’Silva, Edward Wilfred Gunther, W J Cleur, A Dias and Rev Fr Charles Noronha.
The centenary celebration committee is headed by Charles Dias, former MP, as chairman, Peter Leslie Oliver and Adv Antony Robert Dias as co-chairmen, Bearo D’Coutho (media coordinator), Christopher Rodrigues (programme coordinator), and James Hadlent Gunther as general convener.