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Alexander Karakkal (അലക്സാണ്ടർ കാരക്കൽ; 12 February 1941 – 13 September 2022) was an Educationilist, Writer, Prolific Orator and Prominent leader of Malankara Orthodox Church. He was the first Pro Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University from 1996-199 and also the acting Vice Chancellor from Jan - May 2000.

Personal life
Born to Mathulla Kuruvilla and Mariama and belonging to Tiruvilla Karakkal Kallupara Chakkamootill family(Aaruvid Kudumbam), he was the lone brother to four sisters. After his primary education from Karakkal LP school and Peringara Prince Marthandaverma high school, he completed his degree and post-graduation from Tiruvilla Marthoma College and Trivandrum University College. He also served as the Union Speaker in Marthoma College. It was in that year that Alexander Karakkal bagged the prestigious Inter-collegiate elocution competition for Marthoma College, after a long drought. During his time there, he racked up numerous wins in various elocution competitions and essay competitions. Out of these, the most prestigious would be the Tagore centenary prize which Alexander Karakkal received from the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. At the University level, Alexander Karakkal was the recipient of Sajeevothama gold medal, CV Chandra Shekaran gold medal, AM Varkey Memorial Cup, Sri Narayana centenary debate competition and All-India Speech Competition (conducted by Trivandrum Corporation). He also won the Lion’s International Essay Competition on World Peace. He received the honorary title ‘Sabhavalsalan’ of Malankara Orthodox Church,the highest title a lay man can get in the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church from Mathews I Catholicos during the Catholicate Platinum Jubilee function celebration held in Kottayam. He was also the recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship, which enabled him to complete his doctorate from Princeton University. During the time, he was the Head of Department of History in Pathanamthitta Catholicate College and later became the Principal of Kottayam Baselious College. He was also the first pro-Vice Chancellor of Malabar University (Kannur), and subsequently stepped into the role of Vice Chancellor also. He was very instrumental in the building up of Kannur University. As a token of gratitude, to his great contribution in building up the University, all the political parties joined together to give him a grand farewell. He has donned on various responsibilities during his academic tenure. He was the Princeton visiting fellow, member of KTDC Director board, Telecom advisory committee member, LIC board inspection committee chairman, President of American History Congress, Chairman of the American History Research Association, Member of Archeology and Cultural Department. He also was part of various UGC Committees. Later on, he served as the consultant editor of Journal of American History. During his time as a research student in Princeton, he got the opportunity to interact with American Presidents like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and also Senator Adlai Stevenson the third, Chester Bowles, John Kenneth Galbraith, Arthur Schlessinger, Walter Johnson. He also won the American Historical Association from President Clinton. He was also the longest serving elected member of Malankara Orthodox Sabha managing committee (45 years). During his time as the Secretary of the Orthodox Sabha, he enacted wide ranging reforms that transformed the very fabric of the Sabha. He had the rare honour of serving alongside six Catholicos. In 1972, he was the General Convener of the 19th death centenary celebrations of St. Thomas, which conducted in utmost splendor.

He died at 2:45 PM on 13 September 2022, at the age of 81

He is survived by wife Valsa Alexander who is a retired School Headmistress and children Bindu Ria Alex & Binju Kuruvilla Alexander.

Career
College Union Speaker, Marthoma College, Thiruvalla  	- 	1961 – 1962

Managing Committee Member of Orthodox Church of India  -   1970 - 2015

General Convener, St. Thomas 19th Century Celebrations of India   	                            -   	1972

Planning Commission Member, Indian Orthodox Church	  -	1975  - 1980

Conference Leader, American Bicentennial Celebrations, Trivandrum                                         	-  	1976

Convener, Christian Succession Act - Appointed by Orthodox Church of India                               -	1978-1979

Member of American History Congress Executive         	-  	1967  -1980

Group Leader, Princeton University Discussion Group Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A                           - 	1982  -1983

President, American History Teachers Conference of India  		                                         -	1990 -1994

Professor and Head, Post Graduate Department of History, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta. - 	1966 - 1995

Principal, Baselius College, Kottayam                   - 	1995 - 1996

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Kannur University                     -  	1996 - 1999

Vice -Chancellor, Kannur University                  		- 	Jan - May 2000 Secretary, Indian Orthodox Church, Kottayam, Kerala      	-	2002   -  2007

Member of the Working Committee, Indian Orthodox Church     -	2007  -  2012

Books and writings
A list of books authored by him includes:


 * 2007 Nam Munnottu

SCHOLARSHIPS, HONOURS AND AWARDS
First Prize 	:	Tagore Centenary Gold Medalist-All India Essay Competition on "Tagore as a Universal Man" by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, 1962 Gold Medal  	:	Kerala University - Inter Collegiate Elocution Competition - 1964 as Best Speaker

UNESCO Prize	:	Winner - Best Essay " Is Peace Attainable" 1965

First Prize	   :	UN   Quiz   conducted   by   United   States   Information Service, Trivandrum – 1965

Fellowship 	   :	American Studies Research Centre, Hyderabad – 1976

Fellowship 	:	University Grants Commission for Research Work from 1977 to 1981.

Fellowship 	  :	Princeton University -  Doctoral Research in History 1982-83.

Fellowship 	  :	Indian  Council   of Historical   Research   for   Doctoral Study in History – 1982

Sabha Valsalan :	Title from His Holiness Catholicos of the East – 1989 (The highest a lay man can aspire in the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church)

U. S Award  	:	Outstanding  Historians    Award    of   the    American Government – 1993

Delegate    	:	Represented India as the Guest of U.S. Government in the American Historians Annual Conference at LA, California May 1993