Kuruppassery Varkey (commonly called K.V.) Thomas became the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on January 19, 2011. A member of the Indian National Congress Party, He represents Ernakulam constituency in the current Lok Sabha. He has been elected from the same constituency for four terms to the Lok Sabha.
Born in 1946, Thomas received an MSc in Chemistry from Sacred Heart College, Kerala. Professor Thomas is unique amongst Indian politicians because he is one of the few academics currently serving as a Union Minister. Before politics, Thomas taught Chemistry at Sacred Heart College in Kochi for twenty years.
Thomas was first elected to the 8th Lok Sabha in 1984. He has since assumed positions of increasing responsibility in both the Kerala and central governments. He was a two-term member of Kerala’s Legislative Assembly and served as its Minister for Tourism, Fisheries, and Excise.
Thomas has specialized in food-related issues during his career. During his terms, he was Union Minister of State for Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution from May 28, 2009 to January 18, 2011.
Thomas has previously served as Member on legislative committees including the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Prices, Group of Ministers (GOM) committee to review World Trade Organization, and the GOM committee on drought management issues.
