Kuruvila Zachariah

Kuruvilla Zachariah

31 August 1912 – 11 November 1915

Kuruvila Zachariah was an Indian Christian who, having studied at Christian College, Madras, was sent to England in 1912 on a Government of India scholarship. Having arrived in London in September 1912, he visited Thomas Arnold, the education advisor for Indian students. He was advised that he had a place to read history at Keble College, Oxford, but upon consideration took up a place at Merton College instead.

Zachariah attended Oxford Union debates and became involved with the university Christian Union. He did not join the Oxford Majlis because they met on Sunday evenings. In 1915 Zachariah received a first-class degree in history. Zachariah applied for teaching posts in India from England, taking advice from the India Office about entry into the Indian Educational Service. He was offered a position at Presidency College, Calcutta and so returned to India in November 1915.

Zachariah was Professor of History at Presidency College until 1930 and then Principal of Hooghly College and Principal of Islamia College following that. He took up several advisory positions within the government after Indian independence. In 1954 Zachariah was appointed Historical Advisor and Minister at the High Commission in London. He died in 1955. Presidency College, Calcutta continues to hold an annual Kuruvila Zachariah Memorial Lecture in his honour.