GCKA history
GCKA Through the Years
GCKA's history dates back to the early seventies. It all started when about nine Keralite families settled in the Triangle area occasionally got together in their homes to celebrate social occasions.
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Early 1970s
Nine families, one table
About nine Keralite families in the Triangle begin gathering in each other's homes to celebrate social occasions — and represent Kerala at Indian functions in the area.
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1987
The Kerala Association is born
Under the initiative of Dr. P.K. George, the association is formally established and begins organizing Onam, Christmas and the Picnic.
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1999–2000
Earliest board on record
President Varghese Tharakan leads the earliest Board of Directors in our committee history.
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2001
Greater Carolina Kerala Association incorporated
In May 2001, GCKA is registered as a non-profit corporation with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
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2002
501(c)(4) status
The association is granted non-profit 501(c)(4) status.
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2010–2012
Youth Forum and Malayalam classes take root
A youth group forms under the guidance of Jimmy Pazhoor and is formally recognized as the GCKA Youth Forum by the 2011–12 board. Malayalam classes, begun at libraries and Bond Park, look for a permanent home by 2012.
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2011
Carolina Malayali
The annual member directory becomes a full-fledged magazine, with a new emphasis on literature and art.
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2024
The first Youth Day
Entirely organized by the GCKA Youth Board of Directors.
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2026
Samanwayam — Silver Jubilee
A homecoming honouring past Boards of Directors — the “Founding Architects” and the “Future Builders”.
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Today
400+ families
A large and vibrant Malayali community serving families throughout the Carolinas — from Onam Sadhya to Adopt-A-Highway.
Founding families
Where it started
- Dr. Abraham Philip & Mrs. Ramani Philip
- Prof. K.V. Mani & Mrs. Annakutty Mani
- Dr. Suchindran (then a student) & Mrs. Hamsa Suchindran
- Mr. Ravi Mathew & Mrs. Mary Mathew
These families also represented Kerala in various Indian functions in the local area. The original site names four of the nine founding families — additional names welcome.
In 1987, a Kerala Association was formally born under the able initiative of Dr. P.K. George. Subsequently, the association started organizing annual events, like Onam, Christmas and the Picnic. Over a period, the membership also started growing significantly, and in May 2001 the current Greater Carolina Kerala Association was registered as a non-profit corporation with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
Presently the association consists of 400+ families, not only living in and around the Triangle area but also hailing from adjacent places like Greensboro and Charlotte. Association activities are not just limited to annual social gatherings like Onam, Christmas and the Picnic, but also other enriching activities like conducting Malayalam classes and running a Malayalam library. The association is also empowered with a Youth Forum which gets involved in several volunteering activities within and outside the Triangle area.
Boards of Directors
Browse past boards
Pick a year to see the office bearers and executive committee who served.
President
Eldhose Kurian
Vice President
Vishnu Udayakumaran Nair
Secretary
Liny George Mathew
Treasurer
Vinay Krishnan Thalappath
Board members
Jacob Mathew, Neenu Ratheesh, Robin Mathew, Soumiya Shammer, Victor Joseph
President
Prethesh Thomas
Vice President
Saroon Ratnakar
Secretary
Franklin Joseph
Treasurer
Kitson Pereira
Executive committee
Anand Bhavani Krishnankutty, Jiby Krishna, Rajeevkumar Kesavan Achari, Robin Varghese, Shafeer Mohammad
President
Shaji Balakrishnan
Vice President
Abraham John Pulikaparambil
Secretary
James Jose
Treasurer
Priya Iyer
Executive committee
Manu Thanappan, Neetu Biju, Prashanth Sivadasan, Preetha Parathattal, Shefeek Muhammed
President
Manoj Chonat
Vice President
Jaya Uthamanthil
Secretary
Swapna Sasikumar
Treasurer
Balu Mathew
Executive committee
Arun Kanathil, Benny Thomas, Femil Antony, Sharhan Kader, Zacharia Mathew
President
Louis Thottappilly
Vice President
Akhila Mohan
Secretary
Joby John
Treasurer
Rohit Poduval
Executive committee
Jolu Avis Franklin, Prasad Puzhankara, Shamseer Chettiyankandy, Shaibu Chacko
President
Jim Raja Varghese
Vice President
Shameer Sainudeen
Secretary
Paul Binto Mathew
Treasurer
Manoj Balakrishnan
Executive committee
Akash Prabhakar, Gowri Nair, Jeffrey Thundathil, Julia Joy, Vinu Krishnan
President
Sathish Madathil
Vice President
Loid John
Secretary
Vineeth Poduval
Treasurer
Sherin John
Executive committee
Siyad Mohammed, Bindu Nair, Subashkumar Balakrishnan, Mahesh Muthukutty, Abiroop Konikkara
President
Jay Biju Paulson
Vice President
Jay Namboothiri
Secretary
Aslem Muhammed
Treasurer
Jacob Joseph
Executive committee
Manoj Mathew, Ratheesh Puthukudi, Reshma Thomas, Simi Anish, Sumesh Payyatakkath
President
Cyril Mathew
Vice President
Suresh Babu
Secretary
Sreekumar Nair
Treasurer
Sibi Varghese
Executive committee
Ammu Maria Francis, Shoba Mary Kuruvilla, Balaji Radhakrishnan, Muhammed Shareef
President
Binu Narayanan
Vice President
Mary Thundathil
Secretary
Heera Shelly
Treasurer
Joel Abraham
Executive committee
Bishu Paul, Dhanya Narayanan, Sathish John, Sini Joseph, Vinod Menon
President
Binoy Keecheril
Vice President
Prabha Joy
Secretary
Ajith Sivadas
Treasurer
Santy Mathew
Executive committee
Praveen Antony, Rosley Sabu, Sabin Thomas, Visakhan Kattappuram
President
Samuel N I
Vice President
Varun Valsaraj
Secretary
Abraham Jacob
Treasurer
Suvidha Nair
Executive committee
Ajith Zacharias, Saritha Ayyappan, Sherin Syriac, Shreedev Nair, Syam Sunder
President
Balu Ambady
Vice President
Shine Samuel
Secretary
Wilson Parayil
Treasurer
Vasudeva Rao
Executive committee
Balu Joseph, Dipu Pappachan, Princy Raju, Remitha Satheesh, Sudheer Naik
President
Biju Parayil
Vice President
Prasad Mani
Secretary
Sabu Yunnus
Treasurer
Sanjay Mohandas
Executive committee
Monica Augustine, Rajan George, Baby Samuel, George Joseph
President
Vipin Panicker
Vice President
Ajmel Kottai
Secretary
Jose Nedumchira
Treasurer
Binu Thomas
Executive committee
Susan Jacob, Cerish Chemparathy, Akhilesh Nair, Jansy Sebastian, Jayaraj Sivadasan
President
V S Jeyakumar
Vice President
Kuruvilla Kurian
Secretary
Smitha Krishna
Treasurer
Binny Joseph
Executive committee
Joy Viswanath, Madhu Kondath, Babu Kuttiath, Shyni Puthuparambil, Ajmel Kottai
President
Linda Davis
Vice President
Mahesh Nair
Secretary
Joice Kurian
Treasurer
Sunny Sebastian
Executive committee
Jain Thomas, Anita Yoogin, Rajit Ramkumar
President
Maha Sundaram
Vice President
George Joseph
Secretary
Mithun Oorath
Treasurer
Binoy Parathattal
Executive committee
Philo Mathews, Abu Kuttan, Sathish Kumar, P T Thomas, Andrews Thekkekandam
President
Joseph Shaji
Vice President
Soman Pillai
Secretary
Neethu Sabarinath
Treasurer
Immanuel Vargheese
Executive committee
Benoy Puthuparampil, Gowri Manjusha, Rajit Ramkumar, Shyjee Mathai, Nancy Sunoj
President
Bino Punnoose
Vice President
Siby Sebastian
Secretary
Philo Matthews
Treasurer
Saju Kallolickal
Executive committee
Abraham Joseph, Abu Jacob Abraham, Bipin Raghunathan, Joy Viswanath, Minsa Varghese
President
Abdul Hameed Manadath
Vice President
Suchitra Unnithan
Secretary
VS Jeyakumar
Treasurer
Mathews P Varghese
Executive committee
Biju Chacko, Annie James, Sangeetha Menon, Jimmy Pazhoor, Alex C Thannikkary
President
Jayasankar Vadakkeveedu
Vice President
Tomcy Thomas
Secretary
Rojan Jose
Treasurer
Thomas V Thomas
Executive committee
Shajith Moosa, Seejo Pylappan, Maya Ramchandran, Divya Thomas
President
Anthony P C
Vice President
Suku Pandiyattu
Secretary
Mala Madathil
Treasurer
Babu Thomas
Executive committee
Anitha Jagath, Jacob Mathew, Prakasan Kottakkudy, Thomas John
President
Thomas John
Vice President
Joy Kunnapallil
Secretary
Meena Jayakumar
Treasurer
Manoj Nair
Executive committee
Mathew John, Sandeep K P, Prashanth Nair
President
Joy Daniel
Vice President
Joseph Sebastian
Secretary
Maya Ramachandran
Treasurer
Prasad Kurup
Executive committee
Asha Jayakrishnan, Chandy Puvanumvilagal, Sreejith Nair, Sreekumar Pillai
President
Joe Matthews
Vice President
Bhavani Nair
Secretary
Tomcy Thomas
Treasurer
Johny Mathew
Executive committee
Mahalakshmi Sundaram, Balu Narayanan, Anitha Yoogin, Ayyappan Nair
President
Varghese Tharakan
Vice President
Joe Matthews
Secretary
Suchitra Unnithan
Treasurer
Manoj George
Executive committee
Tomcy Thomas, Lovetta James, James P O, Bino Punnoose
See all boards at once
| Term | President | Vice President | Secretary | Treasurer | Executive committee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | Prethesh Thomas | Saroon Ratnakar | Franklin Joseph | Kitson Pereira | Anand Bhavani Krishnankutty, Jiby Krishna, Rajeevkumar Kesavan Achari, Robin Varghese, Shafeer Mohammad |
| 2023–2024 | Shaji Balakrishnan | Abraham John Pulikaparambil | James Jose | Priya Iyer | Manu Thanappan, Neetu Biju, Prashanth Sivadasan, Preetha Parathattal, Shefeek Muhammed |
| 2022–2023 | Manoj Chonat | Jaya Uthamanthil | Swapna Sasikumar | Balu Mathew | Arun Kanathil, Benny Thomas, Femil Antony, Sharhan Kader, Zacharia Mathew |
| 2021–2022 | Louis Thottappilly | Akhila Mohan | Joby John | Rohit Poduval | Jolu Avis Franklin, Prasad Puzhankara, Shamseer Chettiyankandy, Shaibu Chacko |
| 2020–2021 | Jim Raja Varghese | Shameer Sainudeen | Paul Binto Mathew | Manoj Balakrishnan | Akash Prabhakar, Gowri Nair, Jeffrey Thundathil, Julia Joy, Vinu Krishnan |
| 2019–2020 | Sathish Madathil | Loid John | Vineeth Poduval | Sherin John | Siyad Mohammed, Bindu Nair, Subashkumar Balakrishnan, Mahesh Muthukutty, Abiroop Konikkara |
| 2018–2019 | Jay Biju Paulson | Jay Namboothiri | Aslem Muhammed | Jacob Joseph | Manoj Mathew, Ratheesh Puthukudi, Reshma Thomas, Simi Anish, Sumesh Payyatakkath |
| 2017–2018 | Cyril Mathew | Suresh Babu | Sreekumar Nair | Sibi Varghese | Ammu Maria Francis, Shoba Mary Kuruvilla, Balaji Radhakrishnan, Muhammed Shareef |
| 2016–2017 | Binu Narayanan | Mary Thundathil | Heera Shelly | Joel Abraham | Bishu Paul, Dhanya Narayanan, Sathish John, Sini Joseph, Vinod Menon |
| 2015–2016 | Binoy Keecheril | Prabha Joy | Ajith Sivadas | Santy Mathew | Praveen Antony, Rosley Sabu, Sabin Thomas, Visakhan Kattappuram |
| 2014–2015 | Samuel N I | Varun Valsaraj | Abraham Jacob | Suvidha Nair | Ajith Zacharias, Saritha Ayyappan, Sherin Syriac, Shreedev Nair, Syam Sunder |
| 2013–2014 | Balu Ambady | Shine Samuel | Wilson Parayil | Vasudeva Rao | Balu Joseph, Dipu Pappachan, Princy Raju, Remitha Satheesh, Sudheer Naik |
| 2012–2013 | Biju Parayil | Prasad Mani | Sabu Yunnus | Sanjay Mohandas | Monica Augustine, Rajan George, Baby Samuel, George Joseph |
| 2011–2012 | Vipin Panicker | Ajmel Kottai | Jose Nedumchira | Binu Thomas | Susan Jacob, Cerish Chemparathy, Akhilesh Nair, Jansy Sebastian, Jayaraj Sivadasan |
| 2010–2011 | V S Jeyakumar | Kuruvilla Kurian | Smitha Krishna | Binny Joseph | Joy Viswanath, Madhu Kondath, Babu Kuttiath, Shyni Puthuparambil, Ajmel Kottai |
| 2009–2010 | Linda Davis | Mahesh Nair | Joice Kurian | Sunny Sebastian | Jain Thomas, Anita Yoogin, Rajit Ramkumar |
| 2008–2009 | Maha Sundaram | George Joseph | Mithun Oorath | Binoy Parathattal | Philo Mathews, Abu Kuttan, Sathish Kumar, P T Thomas, Andrews Thekkekandam |
| 2007–2008 | Joseph Shaji | Soman Pillai | Neethu Sabarinath | Immanuel Vargheese | Benoy Puthuparampil, Gowri Manjusha, Rajit Ramkumar, Shyjee Mathai, Nancy Sunoj |
| 2006–2007 | Bino Punnoose | Siby Sebastian | Philo Matthews | Saju Kallolickal | Abraham Joseph, Abu Jacob Abraham, Bipin Raghunathan, Joy Viswanath, Minsa Varghese |
| 2005–2006 | Abdul Hameed Manadath | Suchitra Unnithan | VS Jeyakumar | Mathews P Varghese | Biju Chacko, Annie James, Sangeetha Menon, Jimmy Pazhoor, Alex C Thannikkary |
| 2004–2005 | Jayasankar Vadakkeveedu | Tomcy Thomas | Rojan Jose | Thomas V Thomas | Shajith Moosa, Seejo Pylappan, Maya Ramchandran, Divya Thomas |
| 2003–2004 | Anthony P C | Suku Pandiyattu | Mala Madathil | Babu Thomas | Anitha Jagath, Jacob Mathew, Prakasan Kottakkudy, Thomas John |
| 2002–2003 | Thomas John | Joy Kunnapallil | Meena Jayakumar | Manoj Nair | Mathew John, Sandeep K P, Prashanth Nair |
| 2001–2002 | Joy Daniel | Joseph Sebastian | Maya Ramachandran | Prasad Kurup | Asha Jayakrishnan, Chandy Puvanumvilagal, Sreejith Nair, Sreekumar Pillai |
| 2000–2001 | Joe Matthews | Bhavani Nair | Tomcy Thomas | Johny Mathew | Mahalakshmi Sundaram, Balu Narayanan, Anitha Yoogin, Ayyappan Nair |
| 1999–2000 | Varghese Tharakan | Joe Matthews | Suchitra Unnithan | Manoj George | Tomcy Thomas, Lovetta James, James P O, Bino Punnoose |
Youth Forum
Youth leaders through the years
2024–2025
Amala Mani, Anjali Joseph, Elizabeth Maria Vincent, Greeshma Mathew, Joel Boban, Joel Zacharias, Jovan Boban, Navneet Babusankar, Noah Thomas, Noel Biju, Tanav Raj Povathingal
2023–2024
Aiden Jacob, Arjun Mahesh, Eva John, Ganga Poduval, Gauri Menon, Gouri A Menon, Namita Manoj, Nia Parathattal, Nived Bijesh, Sandra Parayil, Shivani Menon
2022–2023
Angelina Manoj, Celeste Ann Samuel, Irene Maria Raju, Krishna Menon, Lynell Mary Franklin, Meenakshi Menon, Neha Maria Santy, Sian Elizabeth Jose, Yadunand Sreelesh
2021–2022
Aleena Angel Benny, Ann Clair Sibi, Arjun Mahesh, Aswin Mahesh, Rajat Mohan, Sandra Jose, Sankar Shelly, Tevin Parthattal, Vaishakh Balu
2020–2021
Andrea Zacharia, Anlin Thachil, Jonathan Kurian, Michelle Puthuparampil, Nikita Manoj, Norah Binny, Samyuktha Vipin, Shravan Romy, Vasudev Menon
2019–2020
Abin Santy, Arya Rao, Ciya Joseph, Jerril Raju, Joshua Cherian, Kiran Joshi, Varun Pillai
2018–2019
Allen Parayil, Benjamin Kurian, Chris Davis, Mira Menon, Rohini Madhu, Rugmini Remitha
2017–2018
Anupama Joy, Joel Thundathil, Samika Satheesh, Vimal Pulikkiyil
2016–2017
Alicia Thomas, Athira Balu, Christina Sabu, Joyel Puthuparambil, Kevin Sebastian, Kevin Thomas, Sneha Kottakudy, Vivek Nair
2015–2016
Jisha Reji, Lidwin John, Michelle Thomas, Stephiya Sabu
2014–2015
Allen Thomas, Hana Manadath, Jyothi George, Nicole Thomas
2013–2014
Greeshma Thomas, Jensen Vellaringattu, Mauria Kurian, Sandra George
2012–2013
Dane Lalsen, Jessma Thomas, Joel Reji, Maebelle Mathew
2011–2012
Amanda Mathew, Ann Lalsen, Hari Joy, Joseph George