Students bid tearful adieu to ‘Kuruvilla sir’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Head of the department of Biotechnology at Mar Ivanios College Dr Thomson Kuruvilla (50) passed away on Sunday. A native of Kesavadasapuram, he died after suffering a heart attack on Sunday night. Three days ago, Thomson lost his mother Kunjamma Kuruvilla who had also died of a heart attack.
Kuruvilla’s colleagues remember him as an efficient teacher. His students were inconsolable when his mortal remains were brought to Mar Ivanios College on Monday afternoon.

Kuruvilla’s bond with Mar Ivanios College started during his school days. He had studied at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya on the same campus. He completed graduation and post-graduation in Botany from University of Kerala and got PhD in Biotechnology from CUSAT.

“He was teaching us Botany. He always worked in a systematic way and covered the syllabus on time. I came to know about his demise through my classmates and we all came to pay tribute to our teacher,” said Reshma Sasi, a former student of Mar Ivanios College, now working in a firm in Technopark.

Kuruvilla was instrumental in introducing a counselling programme for the parents of students. Former principal of the college Dr Gigi Thomas recalled Kuruvilla as an efficient teacher who was a favourite among his students. “Thomson was sincere in his work and there were no complaints about him. Understanding the need for counselling among parents he proposed the idea, which was introduced from previous academic year,” said Thomas.

Kuruvilla was admired by non-teaching staff as well. “He always had a brotherly approach towards us. He would usually address us me as ‘anna’,” said Jayakumar S R, a lab assistant at botany department.

Kuruvilla suffered uneasiness while at his home on Sunday night. Though his relatives rushed him to a private hospital in Pattom, his life could not be saved. Principal of the college Dr Georgee K I, faculty members, students and non-teaching staff attended the funeral held at the cemetery of St Marys Church, Pattom in the evening. He leaves behind brothers John Kuruvilla and Mathew Kuruvilla.