Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church –23 Dr. Henry Austin

Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church –23
Dr. Henry Austin

Dr. Henry Austin left an indelible mark on India’s political, social, cultural, and diplomatic arenas. Born on October 24, 1920, in Kollam, Shaktikulangara, at the family home of Kurishadi, he was the eighth child of Austin and Philomina. He completed his education with a B.A. from Nagarcoil Carmel High School, Mangalapuram St. Aloysius College, and Thiruvananthapuram Arts College, followed by an LL.B. from Thiruvananthapuram Law College in 1944. He furthered his studies at American University, Washington D.C., obtaining M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, with his doctoral thesis titled “India in Asia.”

Upon returning to India, Dr. Austin was involved in significant scholarly and administrative roles. He undertook research at Harvard University related to a Bibliographical Word for the Indian Government’s Law Commission. He was a member of the Senate at both the University of Kerala and the Cochin University.

Dr. Austin’s career began as the Headmaster of St. Joseph’s High School, Kollam. He enrolled as an advocate in the Thiruvananthapuram High Court and served as a magistrate and judge at the Kollam Panchayat Court. His engagement with journalism included roles as a roving correspondent for Kerala Press Service and foreign correspondent for publications like Malayalam Rajyam, Deepika, and Dinamani. He also published periodicals like Weekly Kerala from Ernakulam and Christian People from Bombay. Dr. Austin was associated with Indian National Congress’s official publication, Socialist India, and became politically active through student movements, joining the Thiruvithamcore Student Congress and the state committee during the independence struggle.

In 1949, Dr. Austin became a member of the Kollam Taluk Committee and, upon returning from his studies in 1957, was appointed Secretary of the K.P.C.C. (Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee) and elected to the A.I.C.C. (All India Congress Committee). Despite an invitation to contest in the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, he chose to focus on organizational work. He served as the Secretary of the K.P.C.C. Election Committee after the independence movement and was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1965.

Following the split in the Congress party, Dr. Austin participated in the historic 1969 Congress session in Bombay and became a member of the Congress Working Committee until 1977. He was elected to Parliament from the Ernakulam constituency in 1971 and 1977 and served as the A.I.C.C. General Secretary from 1971 to 1973. During the Bangladesh Liberation War, he was a member of the A.I.C.C. committee formed for Bangladesh and was involved in international diplomacy.

Dr. Austin was actively involved in trade union activities from 1936 and played a pivotal role in establishing the Industrial Tribunal in India in 1949. He led several workers’ unions and was instrumental in the establishment of various cooperative housing colonies and development projects, including the Kovalam Beach as a tourist destination.

He played a significant role in the development of Kerala’s coastal regions, including projects for coastal erosion prevention and mechanization of fishing boats. His advocacy led to the establishment of the Kochi Super Tanker berth and various other infrastructure projects, including the Kochi bypass, Ernakulam link road, and the Cochin International Airport.

Dr. Austin also served as the Chairman of the Kerala Tourist Advisory Committee, and was involved in various cultural and educational institutions, including the Kerala Fine Arts Society, Bharatiya Vidyabhavan, Kerala Kala Peedam, and the Kerala Lalithakala Academy.

He was a strong advocate for secularism and served on various committees, including the National Harbor Board and the Kair Board. As a diplomat, he led Indian parliamentary delegations to international conferences and was involved in significant global dialogues.

Dr. Henry Austin’s significant contributions to both national and international arenas reflect his commitment to public service, social justice, and development. His wife, Mrs. Grace Austin, was also a prominent social worker and actively involved in the Kerala Women’s Congress.