Thangam Philip | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1921-05-12)12 May 1921 |
| Died | 28 January 2009(2009-01-28) (aged 87) |
| Resting place | St. Andrew's CSI Church, Pannimattom,Kottayam,Kerala, India 9°32′2″N76°31′25″E / 9.53389°N 76.52361°E /9.53389; 76.52361 |
| Occupations | Nutritionist, writer |
| Known for | Hospitality education |
| Parent(s) | T. P. Philip Elizabeth Philip |
| Awards | Padma Shri FAO Ceres Medal Knighthood of the Order of Cordon Bleu Du Sant Esprit Firestone Award |
Thangam Elizabeth Philip (1921–2009) was an Indiannutritionist and a pioneer of hospitality education in India.[1][2] She was the Principal Emeritus of theInstitute of Hotel Management, Mumbai[3][4] and was the author of several books oncookery.[5] A recipient of theFAO Ceres Medal[6] and the Knighthood of theOrder of Cordon Bleu Du Sant Esprit of France,[7] Philip was awarded the fourth highest Indian civilian award ofPadma Shri by theGovernment of India in 1976.[8]
Thangam Philip was born on 12 May 1921 atKozhikode in the south Indian state ofKerala in acentral Travancore family[1] by name,Thevarthundiyil, to T. P. Philip and Elizabeth Philip.[9] After graduating from theWomen's Christian College, Chennai, she secured apost graduate diploma from theLady Irwin College, Delhi and secured amaster's degree (MS) from USA.[1][9] She started her career by joining the faculty ofhome science atSt Thomas School, Kolkata where she worked for a short time before moving to Sri Lanka in 1949 to work atSouthland Methodist College to establish aHome Economic department at the college.[1]
Philip returned to India in 1950 and accepted the invitation of theMinistry of Agriculture to manage one of the cafeterias under the brand name,Annapurna, where subsidized food was served to the middle class.[1] Five years later, she shifted to Mumbai and joined theInstitute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHM) when the college was established in 1955.[1] She also did radio and television programmes and visited US where her programmes were telecast.[1] In 1961, after her return from US, she was appointed as the principal of IHM.[1] She also started writing articles in the periodicals and opened a cookery programme at theAll India Radio. When theFood and Agriculture Organization launched theFreedom from Hunger campaign in 1963,[10] Thangam Philip also joined the campaign[7][11] and participated in the inaugural Young World Assembly held in Athens in 1965.[1]
Philip was the author of several books on cookery and hospitality industry.[5][11] Her two volume work,Modern Book for Teaching and the Trade, is a prescribed textbook[3][5][11] in IHM curriculum.[1] One of her books,Thangam Philip's Book of Baking is a work written for theMinistry of Tourism.[1] She also involved as a consultant with several projects ofUNDP,Food and Agriculture Organization,International Labour Organization and theGovernment of Kuwait.[1] She served on the boards of many hospitality enterprises and organizations such asAir India,Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management,[12]Sterling Holiday Resorts (India) Limited andKamat Hotels.[3] She was also a member of the Remuneration Committee and Member of Shareholders’ Grievance Committee of the Kamat Hotel group.[12]
Returning to her native place after retirement in 1986,[5] she continued her research from her home inPallom, in theKottayam district of Kerala.[1] Thangam Philip, who remained unmarried throughout her life,[9] died on 28 January 2009, at the age of 87, of cardiac arrest which followed related illnesses at a nursing home in Kottayam.[3] Her body was buried at St. Andrew's CSI Church cemetery at Pannimattom, Kottayam.[9]
Philip was a fellow of the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management Association, UK as well as the Cookery and Food Association, UK[3][12] and served as a member of theRoyal Society for Public Health, UK.[1][12] TheFood and Agriculture Organization selected her in 1975 to be honoured with the portrayal on theFAO Ceres Medal, a commemorative medal issued with the recipient's image.[3][6] The next year, she received the civilian honour ofPadma Shri from theGovernment of India.[8] TheGovernment of France awarded her the Knighthood of the Order ofCordon Bleu Du Sant Esprit in 1982.[7][11] Four years later, she retired from IHM[1] after which she was made the principal emeritus of the college.[3][9] She was also a recipient of theFirestone Award from the Indian Association of Occupational Health.[3][12]
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