Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-91
Anthony Kalarikkal
Anthony Kalarikkal, an active figure in the socio-cultural field, as well as an actor and storyteller, was born on December 25, 1928, in the Kalarikkal family of St. Raphael’s Church in Thaikkoodam, Vytilla, Ernakulam district, to parents Paul and Mariamma Kalarikkal. His father was a carpenter and a flutist in a band. Anthony completed his primary education at St. Augustine’s School in Thaikkoodam and studied for two years at the Sri Ramavarma Sanskrit College in Tripunithura. He then trained in carpentry for four years at the Ernakulam Government Industrial School and passed the examination.
In 1957, he worked as a craft instructor at the Pulluvarrat Model Welfare Centre. He subsequently engaged actively in various fields, including employment, social work, culture, arts, politics, community service, and religion. Anthony was known for his roles as a trustee of Kadavanthra Church and as an active member of local devotional organizations, as well as for his work with the Indian National Congress.
Active in the Indian National Congress and its supporting organizations, Anthony held significant positions at both the mandal and district levels. He acted in numerous plays and one-act dramas, and he has conducted many storytelling sessions. He performed in the play “V. Yakob Shleehah” (Drama Scope) by the Kochi Prapancha Deepam Theatre, directed by Fr. Dominic Patiala, alongside his daughter Reena.
He was an active member of the Christian Writers and Journalists Fellowship, initiated under the leadership of Fr. Mathew Muzhayil, S.J. He also worked with the Alcohol Prohibition Society alongside Prof. M.P. Manmadhan.
Anthony Kalarikkal served as the State Vice President of the Alcohol Prohibition Society based in Kozhikode, was a member of the Kochi City Vigilance Forum, and a member of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) Anti-Drugs Committee. He is also a member of the editorial board of the bi-monthly “Changathi,” published from Ashirbhavan, Ernakulam. His poems and articles have appeared in publications like Sathya Deepam, Kudumbha Deepam, Sandeshalom, Kerala Times, Cherupushpam, Vishwa Prakasham, Catholic Kachha Sabha, and Jeevajyothi. His published poetry includes works titled “Koottakkol,” “Indira Vijayam,” “Madhya Durand,” “Nithya Bandhu,” and “Gandhiji Karayunnu.”
His wife is Mariamma, daughter of Maliyakkal Paily.
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