Narakal, Jan. 23, 2019: People of Vypin Island in Kerala have come together and drawn up plans to celebrate a local Gandhian’s birth centenary and mark 20th year of his demise with release of a documentary film, flood relief fund and medical assistance to the needy, and other year long events.
The centenary celebrations committee consists of local social, religious and political leaders of the Island.
Besides release the documentary film which has some rare footages of video clips from news reports and civic functions spanning over the last decade of Sarvodayam Kurian’s life, distribution of financial assistance to the needy sick people and contribution to towards the Vypin MLA’s Flood Relief Fund are planned.
The functions including the screening of 55 minute film are scheduled to be held on 28th January 2019 at Majestic Multiplex Theatre, Narakal, Kurian’s karmabhumi.
“It is our humble effort to tell the next generation about the life and deeds of a selfless soul from our own land,” says President of Sarvodayam Kurian Smaraka Trust Mr. Paul J. Mampilly.
Late Kurian Parakal of Narakal (11th January, 1920 to 15th July, 1999) Vypin Island in Kerala, strictly a Gandhian (follower of Mohandas K. Ghandhi) was never a card holding member of the Sarvodaya movement which worked to promote a kind of society that Gandhiji envisioned.
The Vypin Island people hailed him Sarvodayam Kurian on his return from Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) assignment with British Medical Corps after World War II as he took up social work.
Kurian’s social work among the needy, poor and helpless, and the common people included Gandhian methods of padayathra (walk for cause) and sathyagraha (form of non-violent social and political struggle which includes even fast unto death).
When the people of Vypin saw Kurian working on Gandhian and Sarvodaya principles, they spontaneously added the fond appellation “Sarvodayam” to his name. He humbly accepted the popular title and it further motivated him to do more. Thus for some 50 years of his life, he was known both in Kerala and abroad as the one and the only Sarvodayam Kurian.