Thomas Chandy

Early life and family

Thomas Chandy was born on 29 August 1947, one of the sons of V.C.Thomas and Aleyamma Thomas at Chenammkary. He has completed a diploma in Telecommunication Engineering from the Institute of Engineering Technology, Chennai. He is married to Mercy Chandy and has 1 son and 2 daughters.

Political career

He started his political career in the KSU and was later selected as the President of the KSU and Youth Congress in Kuttanad, in 1970. After re-entering politics actively, he aligned himself with the DIC(K) of which he was the lone MLA as a part of the UDF in the 2006 elections, which later merged with the NCP and then aligned with the LDF for the 2011 elections. Based on the declaration of assets filed at the time of the elections, he is the richest MLA in the assembly with assets of over 920 Million Indian rupees.

Business career

Thomas Chandy is a business man, and has interests in the fields of education and hospitality among others. He is the Chairman of the United Indian School, Indian Public School and Indian Central School in Kuwait. He also runs Al-Alia International Indian School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Chandy also owns a controlling interest in the Lake Palace Resort, located on the Punamada Lake in Kerala

Allegations and Arrest

Thomas Chandy was arrested in Kuwait for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of 420 Million Rupees from the Indian School at Salmia in Kuwait. Chandy secured bail and was never convicted.

In August 2017, it was found that Chandy did not declare his true property value in the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India. He has 14 buildings in a resort that he did not disclose and stated that he only has 92 crores worth property when he had 150 crores worth. He also encroached in to Punnamada lake by using buoys to shut off access to outsiders. There are also allegations that he constructed the 'Lake View Resort' near Punnamada lake by allegedly clearing out rice fields which is illegal in Kerala.

Social Activist

He is social worker both in Kuwait as well as in Kerala. In Kuwait, he was involved with a waste disposal and cleanup campaign in a suburb mainly inhabited by expatriates from Kerala. He also intervened in the case of Indian nurses who were duped in a job racket which promised them jobs in government hospitals in Kuwait.

Thomas Chandy is the chairman of the Daveedputhra Charitable Society, which has been involved in building houses providing sanitation facilities, health care and educational assistance, and other services.