Prof. John Kurakar Key Facts & Background

 

Prof. John Kurakar

Key Facts & Background

He served as  the Head of the oriental  languages  of St.Gregorios College,Kottarakara.

He holds M.phil on  short story and  literature

He is deeply involved in inter-faith and peace-building work — notably with the United Religions Initiative (URI): he has served as Asia Region  Trusty  and  president  of South India / Sri Lanka regionHe has authored many books (15+), edited journals, and  conducted many National seminars’

  He was born in 1952 (some sources) in Kottarakkara, in the Kollam district of Kerala.   His father is P. G. Mathew Kurakar, and mother is Mrs. Thankamma Mathew.   Educational path: Attended St. Gregorios College, Kottarakkara, NSS College Nilamel, Catholicate College Pathanamthitta, and University Centre Kariavattom.

  He served as Professor (and Head of the Malayalam Department) at St. Gregorios College, Kottarakkara, for around 30 years.

Academic & Literary Contributions

·        As a professor of Malayalam literature, he influenced generations of students in Kottarakkara region.

·        He is a prolific writer: The blog-based biodata claims 16,000 + articles on varied topics such as literature, culture, science, economics, social issuesSome of his publications / books include: Upanyasa Manjari, Bhasha Bhushanam, Bhasha Sodhini, Kerala History, Window of Knowledge, Quiz-Quiz.

·          He is actively involved in inter-faith and cultural promotion. He serves (or has served) as a Global Council Trustee of United Religions Initiative (URI) for Asia.   He holds the position of State President of Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithya (a literary & educational organisation)

He is (or has been) President of Kerala Palliative Care Initiative — thus contributing in healthcare/social welfare domains

He has led environmental and local community initiatives: rain-harvesting, bio-gas from cow-dung & garbage, stream/river protection campaigns, development projects like “Meenpidippara Tourism Project”.

Honours & Recognition

·        The college where he served, St. Gregorios College, has instituted a “Prof. John Kurakar Endowment Scholarship” in the Malayalam department (2007) to commemorate his retirement and service

·        He received awards such as the “Pravasi Bharathi Vidya Srestha Award-2016” for his education & inter-faith work.

·        He is married to Molly Jacob, a retired professor of St. Gregorios College. They have two children: daughter Dr. Manju Kurakar (Assistant Professor, Medical College, Pune) and son Manu Kurakar (Assistant Manager—Systems, SBI, Mumbai)

·        Here are some of the major publications attributed to Prof. John Kurakar based on available sources. Please note that many entries are from personal/secondary sources and some details (publisher, year, ISBN) may not be fully verified.

Title
Upanyasa Manjari
Bhasha Bhushanam
Bhasha Sodhini
Kerala History
Window of Knowledge
Quiz-Quiz
Vasanthom Valareyakle
A jna Theeram Thedy Good Morning Doctor ( Malayalam  And English) Pinnitta vazhikal p.g Mathew Memorial book vayojanangalum palliative careum

Prof John Kurakarhas written scripts for 15 short films: “ഉണരൂ വേഗം നീ”, “വിൽക്കാനുണ്ട് വിദ്യ”, “കോടീശ്വരൻ”, “ദര്‍പ്പണം”, “ചീട്ടു കോട്ടാരം”, “ഗുഡ് മോര്‍ണിംഗ് ഡോക്ടര്‍  etc

Here are some of the awards and recognitions received by Prof. John Kurakar:

·        He received the Pravasi Bharathi Vidya Srestha Award‑2016 on 11 January 2016 at V.J.T Hall, Thiruvananthapuram, for his work in education and his activities with United Religions Initiative (URI).

·        He was honoured with “Bharatheeya Guru Sreshta” (or similar wording) by the same organisation, recognising his social service and inter-faith work. He received cash awards and merit certificates for five consecutive years (1982-1987) for his contributions to adult education in Kerala.

Notable Awards & Recognitions

1.  Pravasi Bharathi Vidya Srestha Award – 2016
On January 11, 2016, Prof. John Kurakar was honored with the Pravasi Bharathi Vidya Srestha Award at V.J.T Hall, Thiruvananthapuram. This award recognized his dedicated work in the field of education and his activities with United Religions Initiative (URI) in India.

2.  Cash Awards & Merit Certificates (1982–1987)
For his dedicated service in the field of adult education, Prof. Kurakar received cash awards and merit certificates continuously for five years from 1982 to 1987. These accolades were bestowed upon him by the Kerala State Government, recognizing his significant contributions to adult and continuing education programs. Global Council Trustee of United Religions Initiative (URI)
After his retirement, Prof. Kurakar was elected as a Global Council Trustee of United Religions Initiative, an international interfaith organization constituted for the maintenance of peace and harmony in the world. He has been an active global member, attending many international conferences and meetings of URI, including the 6th World Parliament of Religions in Salt Lake City.

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These awards and recognitions highlight Prof. Kurakar's multifaceted contributions to society, spanning education, social service, and interfaith dialogue