Late Mr. P. T. Varughese, Panamthodathil House, Kuriannoor

A member of Kuriannoor Mar Thoma Parish

The story of India’s freedom struggle is filled with the names of great leaders and well-known freedom fighters. Yet, behind the larger national movement were countless ordinary men and women who made personal sacrifices for the cause of freedom. Many of their stories have remained largely unknown and forgotten.

One such individual from Kuriannoor was Late Mr. P. T. Varughese of Panamthodathil House, a member of the Kuriannoor Mar Thoma Parish, also known as Neelethu Palli, Kuriannoor East.

Early Life

P. T. Varughese was born in 1903 in Kuriannoor to Panamthodathil Thomas and Kuriannoor Plathottathil Aleyamma. His family were members of the Kuriannoor Mar Thoma Parish.

After passing his School Final Examination, Varughese was planning to travel to Singapore in search of better opportunities. At the time, many people from Kuriannoor were already working in Singapore. As Singapore was part of the British Empire, travelling there was relatively straightforward, and passports and visas were not required in the manner they are today. Regular shipping services operated from Madras to Singapore.

With this plan in mind, Varughese travelled to Madras to board a ship for Singapore. However, his life was about to take a very different direction.

The Call of Mahatma Gandhi

While in Madras, Varughese was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s call to join the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 1, 1920, the Non-Cooperation Movement was India’s first large-scale, non-violent mass struggle against British rule. The movement sought to achieve Swaraj, or self-governance, by encouraging Indians to withdraw their support from British colonial institutions.

Inspired by Gandhi’s message, Varughese abandoned his plans to travel to Singapore and instead chose to dedicate himself to India’s freedom struggle.

After joining the Non-Cooperation Movement, he began wearing the white Gandhi cap and khadi clothes, a practice he continued throughout the rest of his life.

A Life Dedicated to Service

Varughese actively participated in the freedom movement and remained committed to the ideals that had inspired him in his youth. He was known as a straightforward person who never sought positions, wealth or personal recognition.

He remained an active member of the Indian National Congress until his death and was deeply involved in political, social and religious activities in and around Tiruvalla.

Although he never became a nationally recognised political figure, his commitment to the freedom movement reflected the contribution made by countless ordinary Indians whose efforts formed the foundation of the struggle for independence.

Life in Tiruvalla and Kuriannoor

Varughese lived in Kuriannoor until around 1970, after which he moved to Amalloor, near Tiruvalla.

He was also associated with the newspaper and publishing world. He served as the Manorama newspaper agent in Tiruvalla and promoted several English-language publications, including The Illustrated Weekly and Reader’s Digest.

His interests and activities extended beyond politics. He remained actively engaged in the social and religious life of the community, maintaining his connections with people and institutions around Tiruvalla and Kuriannoor.

Family

Varughese married Mariamma, daughter of Chacko of Kaiuzhasseril House, Valakkuzhy.

The couple had two daughters:

• Aleyamma Varughese
• Annamma Varughese

Remembering an Unsung Freedom Fighter

P. T. Varughese passed away on 20 July 1989. He was laid to rest at the Amalloor Mar Thoma Parish Cemetery.

His life is a reminder that the Indian freedom movement was not shaped only by the leaders whose names appear in history books. It was also strengthened by people like Varughese, who made personal choices, gave up opportunities for a different life and committed themselves to the cause of freedom.

A young man who had travelled to Madras with dreams of a future in Singapore instead chose to respond to the call of Mahatma Gandhi. He exchanged the prospect of a new life overseas for khadi clothes, the Gandhi cap and a life dedicated to the ideals of India’s independence movement.

Today, the story of P. T. Varughese of Kuriannoor deserves to be remembered—not necessarily as the story of a famous freedom fighter, but as that of an unsung participant in India’s struggle for freedom, whose quiet dedication formed part of the larger story of the nation.