Notable Figures from the Kerala Church – 3 V.G.cyriac (Retired IAS)

Notable Figures from the Kerala Church – 3
V.G. cyriac (Retired IAS)
V.G. cyriac is well-known for his roles as a distinguished lawyer, principled administrator, and dedicated community servant. He was born on January 3, 1909, in the village of Kanjirathanam near Kuravilangad, at the home of his parents, Mr. V.C. George B.A., L.T., and Mrs. Kunju Mariam. The date January 3 is also significant because it marks the heavenly departure of Chavara Kuriakose Elias (one of the great figures in the Church).
cyriac’s early education was under the guidance of his grandmother, who taught him reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. She also nurtured his childhood prayers. Even at the age of 97,cyriac fondly recalls how his grandmother made his early years enjoyable and meaningful. He attended St. John’s School in Kanjirathanam and later the English Medium School in Kuravilangad. His high school education was completed at Mannanam School, where he stayed at the boarding facility. He attributes his deep-rooted habit of daily participation in the Holy Mass and receiving divine grace to his time at Mannanam Boarding.
cyriac pursued Intermediate studies at St. Berchmans College, Changanassery, and then earned a B.A. from the Government College in Thiruvananthapuram, majoring in Botany. After teaching briefly at Kuravilangad School, he joined the Thiruvananthapuram Law College. He passed the F.L. (First Law) exams with a top rank from Madras University and subsequently completed his B.L. degree, securing the second rank. In 1932, he was appointed to the Kottayam District Court, where he trained under the eminent lawyer John Nidhiri and gained experience in various cases.
In 1933, cyriac passed the High Court exams first and took up practice there. His desire to join the government service led him to move to Thiruvananthapuram. When Mr. Thomas Mathekal, a High Court lawyer, was appointed as Munsiff, he assigned all his cases to Suryak. Suryak worked hard to qualify for the Munsiff position, which required five years of service as a High Court lawyer. In 1940, he began working as a Stationery Magistrate and served in various capacities across different locations.
In 1960, he was selected for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and he served as Deputy Secretary in the Secretariat and as District Collector in Ernakulam, Kannur, and Kollam. In 1964, he was appointed as the first Secretary of the Kerala Land Board, from which he eventually retired.
cyriac had the opportunity to serve as a private secretary to Chief Minister A.J. John and also to the Home Minister during his tenure. He served as a private secretary to the Governor during Kerala’s President’s rule. Throughout his service, he was dedicated to ensuring justice for the people and working against corruption within his office.
During his tenure as the Tahsildar in Cherthala, he dealt with severe shortages of sugar and kerosene. To address the issue of bribery by office staff who would intentionally delay processing applications, Suryak implemented a system where signatures from the Tahsildar on applications allowed direct purchase of essential goods. This method eliminated bribery and was positively received by the Civil Service Commissioner during an investigation.
As Tahsildar in Chengannur, Suryak also managed issues related to crop yields and permits for bringing surplus supplies into Kerala. He took strict measures against fraudulent vouchers and refused to process them. His integrity in office set a standard for government officials.
In 1967, after retiring, V.G. cyriac and his family settled in Thiruvananthapuram. Though his parish was Lourdes Church, he frequently attended Holy Cross Church nearby and actively participated in all its activities. He was involved in the Lourdes Church Parish Council and started the Christian Cultural Movement as its founding secretary. After the passing of its founder, V.V. Joseph IAS, he served as the President of CCM.
While residing in Muttada, he founded the Cosmopolitan Political Club on land donated by Muttada Church, serving as its founding secretary and later its president. His strong desire to be involved in church activities led him to live near the church. Until December 2004, he was actively engaged in church activities.
V.G. cyriac was married to Thangamma, the eldest daughter of Thottassery C. Mathew, a member of the Travancore Legislative Assembly. His son, Squadron Leader Matthew Suryak, who was a source of pride for India and the Air Force, tragically died in a plane crash on November 4, 1977, while flying Prime Minister Morarji Desai to a location in Assam. The plane crashed due to an engine failure, resulting in the deaths of all personnel except for the Prime Minister and others, who were miraculously saved. Squadron Leader Matthew Suryak is honored for his self-sacrifice and bravery.