Joachim Alva

Joachim Alva was born in South Kanara on 21 January, 1907, he was educated at the Jesuit College, Bombay. He was expelled from the St. Xaviers College for having moved a resolution at the Catholic Students Union urging to throw open its doors at its Annual Social gathering to students of other communities.Fact|date=September 2008

History

He had won the gold medal in the All-India Rhetorical Contest held at Benaras. He actively involved himself in organizing the Youth League and the "No-Tax" campaign at Bardoli. In 1930 he founded the National Christian Party. He was appointed the 6th Dictator of the War Council. He was arrested and sentenced to two years and three months of rigorous imprisonment.

He was elected the Secretary of the Bombay Students Brotherhood and was the first Indian Christian Secretary during its fifty years existence.

In the Nasik prison he wrote two books "Men and Supermen of Hindustan" and "Indian Christian and Nationalism". The manuscripts of both were confiscated.

In 1937 Alva married Miss Violet Hari, M.A. L.L.B, who was a professor of English at the St. Xaviers Indian Women's University College. She is assisting him in his Congress activities.

After Independence, Joachim was appointed Sheriff of Bombay in 1949. In 1950, he entered the Provisional Parliament of India. He was also elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952, 1957 [cite web
url =http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok02/state/02lsmy.htm
title =MEMBERS OF SECOND LOK SABHA
accessdate =2008-09-01
publisher =Parliament of India] and 1962 from North Kanaracite news
url =http://www.deccanherald.com/CONTENT/Dec22007/national2007120239020.asp
title =Portrait of the first couple in Parliament to be put up
date =2007-12-02
accessdate =2008-09-01
publisher =Deccan Herald] . In 1952, Violet was elected to the Rajya Sabha [cite web
url =http://rajyasabha.nic.in/kiosk/whoswho/prev90a.htm
title =BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MEMBERS
accessdate =2008-09-01
publisher =Rajya Sabha] making them the first couple to be elected to Parliament under adult franchise.

References

References

*http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/04/stories/2007120492340200.htm
*http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/23/stories/2008012352390300.htm