Remembering Christy Fernandez
Christy Leon Fernandez (1949–2023) was one of India’s iconic IAS officers with a stellar record spanning numerous ministries and organizations across the country. In a stellar & storied career as one of India’s eminent IAS officers, Christy Fernandez played a key role in many of the country’s milestone moments — leading to India’s rise today in the world’s polity.
He always held a special place for his alma mater Mar Ivanios College. He did his M.Sc. Zoology from Mar Ivanios College during the years 1968 to 1970. He was a first rank holder both at the graduate and post graduate levels at the University of Kerala. He continued his association as a research scholar at Mar Ivanios College with a CSIR Fellowship under the esteemed Professor Dr. Antony Nadakkal for close to two years.
A lifelong learner, he went on to acquire a post graduate diploma in development studies from Cambridge University, UK during his years in the IAS. Later, his Ph.D. thesis (2003) centred around the Development and Management of Marine Fishery Resources of Gujarat state.
He belonged to the 1973 batch of the IAS Gujarat cadre. He is best known for his stint as Secretary to the former President of India. He had also served as Joint Secretary in the Agriculture and Petroleum ministries, Additional Secretary in the Commerce ministry and Principal Secretary of the Gujarat Town Development Council and was Secretary to the Department of Tourism.
He also served as Joint Secretary in the Agriculture and Petroleum ministries, Additional Secretary in the Commerce ministry and Principal Secretary of the Gujarat Town Development Council and was Secretary to the Department of Tourism. In recent years, he served as the Chairman of KSIDC (Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation). As KSIDC Chairman, he envisioned Bio360, Kerala’s first Life Sciences Park as a landmark project that would advance the cause of Life Sciences for India and for the World.
Most recently, he served as the Chairman of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation. Ever the visionary, he envisioned new bio-horizons for India. In one memorable conversation, he told me once that Bio360, Kerala’s first Life Sciences Park that he oversaw as KSIDC Chairman would advance Life Sciences frontiers for India and for the World.
The President’s Trophy Boat Race is a popular boat race held on the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam city on 1st November will forever be part of his legacy to Kerala. The President’s Trophy Boat Race (Malayalam: പ്രസിഡന്റ്’സ് ട്രോഫി വള്ളം കളി) is a popular boat race held on the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam city on 1 November every year — marking the birth of the Indian state of Kerala, known as Kerala Piravi. This is the most popular of the races to be held during the season of the harvest festival, Onam, in Autumn on Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam.
A true Renaissance man — an expert with profound knowledge in a wide range of fields, Christy Fernandez was equally at home speaking with kings & presidents, as he was with farmers & fishermen. He took a deep pride in agriculture and gardens that he nurtured at his beautiful home in Clappanna, Kollam. Nowhere was this more evident in his commitment for India, Kerala and his beloved people.
He was a natural builder of lives, institutions and organizations. Two of his organizations Leon Foundation (named after his father) and Triune IAS Academy were, in their time, platforms of deep societal change that will impact generations.For all these reasons, India continues today to celebrate the legacy of her illustrious son Christy Fernandez.
Beyond these roles of quiet leadership, Christy Fernandez was a towering intellectual and a titan who took on adversity with a smile of resilience. In the 2 decades, that I knew him as an illustrious member of our family, we had long conversations around our World, India and her place in the 21st century. My own idea of India was shaped by his special view of the world, as seen from the office of The President of India. For all his wide accomplishments, he was, at heart, a devoted family man and especially, a doting grandfather.
Sources:
Read The Hindu tribute article to Dr. Christy Fernandez IAS here: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/former-ias-officer-christy-fernandez-passes-away-in-kochi/article67603554.ece
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President%27s_Trophy_Boat_Race
President’s Trophy Boat Race Image by Sureshkajal — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70745915
