Ambrose Fernando

Ambrose Fernando (1912-1999) was an Indian businessman and politician.

He was born in Kanyakumari. He went to Colombo at a young age to work. He gained a lot of business knowledge. He came back to Kanyakumari in 1937 and got married to Mochammal Fernando. He joined Indian National Congress and entered active politics. He became a member of the Travancore Cochin Legislative Assembly elected from Kanyakumari constituency from 20-03-1948 to 18-02-1952 . He took an active part in the agitation to part Kanyakumari district from Kerala and to join it to Madras State. He had good relationships with Chief Minister Pattam Thanu Pillai and then with the Chief Minister of Madras State K. Kamarajar.

Later he started his own dry fish export business in Tuticorin and shown more interest in fisheries. He was invited by the central and state government bodies for various fisheries meetings to get his valuable suggestions to develop fisheries as well as the trade. He has been part of various government delegations which went to other countries for study of the trade.

He was:

CHAIRMAN
Quality control appellate Panel-Fish and Fisheries Products - (Govt of India)

VICE CHAIRMAN
Marine Products Export Development Authority - (Govt of India)

PRESIDENT
1.Fish Exporters Chamber - Tutitcorin
2.Tuticorin Catamaram Fisherman Association
3.KanyaKumari Township Fisherman Development Organization
4.Tuticorin Citizen Council

MEMBER
1.BUREAU of I.S.I Fish and Fisheries Products Sectional Committee - (Govt of India)
2.Consultative Committee Fishery Survey of India - (Govt of India)
3.Regional Management Committee of C.M.F.R.I Tuticorin - (Govt of India)

He was called as "THALAIVAR" (Leader) by all people from all corners. With greatness in mind he devoted more time for the uplift of the Fisherman Community. He was the first person who tried his level best to bring a FISHERIES COLLEGE at Tuticorin which was his long dream. He had given many representations to the government to introduce the Insurance Scheme for CATAMARAN Fishermen. In nature he was soft-hearted, helped many people and arranged several jobs for unemployed youths in Government and Private organizations.

He was honored by the Government & Trade jointly in a grand ceremony, awarded the title " PIONEER IN FISHERIES " in the presence of the then Union ministers Hon. P. Chidambaram and Hon. Manisankara Iyer at Cochin.

He died on 11 January 1999 at Tuticorin aged 87.