Thomas was born on 15 May 1916 at Kozhenchery,
Kerala India. His father Madathilparampil Mammen was a reformation leader, printer and publisher based in
Kozhenchery, Kerala, and was involved in the Independence Movement in
India during the Salt Satygraha. His mother was Ooriapadickal Mariamma, a school teacher. He was the eldest of nine children. Thomas was raised in a
Mar Thoma Syrian Church, in which his father was well known evangelist. In 1931, Thomas went to study Chemistry in a college in Trivandrum, Kerala, and had an evangelical spiritual experience. As a consequence, he became active in the Mar Thoma Youth Union and the Student Christian Movement, and became involved in evangelism among low-caste youth. He later attended the
Union Theological Seminary in New York. Soon after obtaining his degree in 1935, he accepted the post of a teacher at Ashramam High School, Perumbavoor, run by the Mar Thoma Church, where the teachers used to pay part of their meager salary to the students from poor families. In 1937, instead of taking a lucrative job he went to
Trivandrum, the capital of
Kerala and started an orphanage there. Thomas was the first full-time organizing secretary of Yuvajana Sakhyam (the Youth wing of the
Mar Thoma Church) from 1945-47. He applied for ordination in the
Mar Thoma Church, but that was rejected because of his membership in Communist party. At the same time he was rejected by the communist party because of his faith. Thomas became known for his ecumenical work, first being on staff with the
World Student Christian Federation in Geneva (1947-1953), then serving as a moderator of the Central committee of the
World Council of Churches (1968-1975). He also served with the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society from 1958 to 1975. In 1990 he was appointed as Governor of
Nagaland, a state with a large number of Christians, but later resigned in 1992. He was living at Manjadi,
Tiruvalla. He died on 3 December 1996 and was laid to rest at
Tiruvalla,
Kerala. ==Works==