Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac

Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac is distinguished in the political climate of Kerala and revered by all irrespective of political ideologies no only for his vast knowledge and profound wisdom but also for his suave and compassionate nature.

Born to Sri. T.P. Mathew and Smt. Saramma Mathew at Kottappuram on 26th September 1952, he became interested into the array of politics from his young days. He commenced his political activities when he was a student and gradually by virtue of his inherent aptitude rose to the leadership of SFI (Students’ Federation of India), the student wing of the CPI (M). Besides, he at the same time was engaged for elevating himself educationally and became the Professor at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram. Keeping his astute erudition in concern he was made the member of the State Planning Board from 1996 to 2001.

Being a man of letters he has been instrumental in publishing various articles on Economics, Planning and Politics in the leading regional, national and international periodicals. His books in both Malayalam and English are, The Withering Coconut, Political Economy of Poverty, Economics Crisis in the Capitalist World, ABC of Political Economy, Kerala and Man (that won him the very prestigious Kerala Sahitya Academy Award, Political Economy of Surrender, Local Democracy and Development: Peoples Campaign for Decentralised Planning in Kerala (with Richard W. Franke) and others.

He has also participated and presented lectures and papers in numerous national and international conferences and seminars like Institute of Social Science, New Delhi in 1996, Colmbia University South Asian Institute Seminar in 1998 and Conference on Decentralized Planning in Calcutta 1999. He has been twice elected from Mararikkulam to KLA in 2001 and 2006.

In the present cabinet he is designated as the Minister of Finance having the portfolio of Finance, National Savings, Commercial Taxes, Agricultural Income Tax, State Insurance and others.