Dr A M Michael, renowned agro engineer, passes away

Kochi: Former director of the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (ICAR) and former vice-chancellor of Kerala Agriculture University Dr A M Michael has passed away. He was 91.

The funeral will take place at St George Church, Edappally, in Ernakulam at 3 pm on Saturday.

As the vice-chancellor of Kerala Agriculture University, he was instrumental in taking the varsity to greater heights of excellence. Though he was removed by the government from the VC’s post following differences of opinion, he got reinstated after obtaining a favourable order from the court. However, he resigned from the post the same day.

Michael was a visiting professor at many foreign universities. He has bagged various awards including the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award instituted by the ICAR, Rajendra Prasad Award and Engineer of the Year Award.

Many of the books authored by him are part of the syllabus of foreign universities. He was a jury member of Malayala Manorama “Karshaka Shree” award.

Michael was well-known across the world in the agricultural engineering sector. He took his bachelors degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Allahabad University and M Tech and PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Michael was a member of Pathambuzha Arayathinal family of Poonjar. He leaves behind wife Kochuthresia of Vazhithala Kochuparambil, children Vijayan Michael (retd deputy secretary, Union Defence Ministry), Udayan Michael (Business, US), Dr Vimala Vinod (Dermotologist, Dubai) as well as daughters-in-law Jancy Vijayan (engineer) and son-in-law Dr Vinod Thomas (neurologist Dubai).

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