Department Profile

It was with the objective of setting a new model for liberal arts education that Union Christian College was founded in 1921. From the time of its inception, History has been one of the important disciplines taught in the college. In the early days, it was taught alongside Economics and Philosophy, and some of the faculty members who taught the discipline at the time included Prof. V. M. Ittiyerah, Rev. L. W. Hooper, Prof. K. A. Joseph, Rev. C. E. Robin, Rev. Roger Hicks, Dr. T. I. Poonen and Dr. K. I. Marthanda Varma. In 1965, a separate Department of History, offering under-graduate and post-graduate programmes, came to be constituted with Dr. A. K. Baby as the first Head of the Department. Subsequently, in 2000, the department developed into a research centre, supervising several research scholars across the state. It was the first of its kind in an aided college in Kerala.

In 1975, the department established an archaeological museum. This museum was reorganized in 1998, and stemming from the general interest in archaeology and the museum, a certificate course in archaeology was introduced under the auspices of a new centre that was initiated by the department – Centre for Cultural and Ecological Studies. This initiative, co-ordinated by Dr. K. V. Kunhikrishnan and Dr. P. J. Cherian, enhanced the collection in the museum with new artefacts from the excavations in the Peryar Basin. In 2002, the certificate course in archaeology developed into a UGC sponsored Advanced Diploma in Archaeology and Museology.

Some of the former students and faculty members who have made important contributions to the academic and public life of India include Prof. Rajan Gurukkal, Prof. Michael Tharakan, Mr. R. B. Sreekumar IPS, Dr. P. J. Cherian and many others.

At present, the department has 8 faculty members and about 120 students. Besides the academic courses prescribed by the university, the department encourages research and inter-disciplinary initiatives with the objective of enabling students to think critically and to develop a historical consciousness. The History Association, which was started in 1929, also strives to provide an open space for students to express themselves both, academically and culturally.