John Mathai

John Mathai

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Category: Education , Politics

John Mathai Profile

  • Name:
  • John Mathai
  • Born:
  • January 10, 1886
  • Spouse:
  • Achamma Mathai

John Mathai Biography

John Mathai was a prominent politician, economist and educationist in the national level politics, post-independence. This influential politician and administrator was country's first Railway Minister and later appointed as second Finance Minister too, who got opportunity to present India’s first budget. For his contributions towards the field of Literature & Education, government of India honoured him with the much prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 1959. He was only the second Malayali to receive this honour, after V. K. Krishna Menon for Public Affairs. His nephew, Verghese Kurien who hailed from Thrissur, was the father of India's White Revolution. As the first railway minister, Mathai was responsible for restructuring the railway sector which was damaged by the Second World War and the partition violence.

 

John Mathai was born in Kozhikode, Kerala in the year 1886. His birth place was then a part of Madras Presidency in British India. A progressive reformer and one of the best economists of the country, John Mathai found a place in free India’s first ever Lok Sabha formed. This economist was first chosen as India’s first railway minister, a position under which he played magnificent role in rebuilding railway network which was heavily damaged by Partition issues as well as World War II. Very soon, his power was shifted from Railways to Finance. As India’s second Finance Minister, he got opportunity to present first two finance budgets of free India.

 

Nehru was known to be at loggerheads with other members of the first Indian cabinet as well as with prominent leaders of the Congress party. Mathai too became a victim. He resigned his position in protest at the increasing power of the Planning Commission and P. C. Mahalanobis. John Mathai was also known as an educator and administrator. Founding President of the Governing Body of NCAER, Vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai 1955-1957, first Vice Chancellor of the University of Kerala from 1957 to 1959 etc are some of his prominent roles as an administrator. His wife Achamma Mathai was a social worker and activist, who was honoured with Padma Shri in 1954. John was honoured with Padma Vibhushan four years later. He passed away the same year – 1959.

Published: September 08, 2018

Updated: September 08, 2018

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