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P.H.Kurian, IAS, former Additional Secretary, Kerala passed away on 26 August 2026.
He was 67.
The 1986 - batch civil servant belonged to an agrarian family in Kottayam.
He had always employed power for people's welfare. The instinct to put people ahead of procedure ran throughout his career. As Revenue Secretary, he led relief efforts during 2018 floods. As IT Secretary, he laid foundations of Kerala's startup ecosystem and drove investments to the state.
Dr. V. Venu, former Chief Secretary and longtime colleague writes:
"He was the textbook example of how an IAS officer ought to perform his duties. He was thorough with the rules and always interpreted them in a way that benefitted the common man."
"He was open and transparent with everyone, from commoners to coworkers and businessmen. That gave him an insight other officers rarely get."
PH Kurian's most defining moment came in 2012 when he served as the Controller General of Patents, Government of India.
Bayer, the German Pharmaceutical giant was selling its cancer drug Nexavar at over Rs.2.80 lakhs for a month's dose. The medicine was out of reach for a majority of patients.
It was then that Natco Pharma sought a compulsory licence for Nexavar's generic version. It offered to sell the drug at Rs.8800.00 a month. After an 18-hour hearing over three days, Kurian wrote a 62 page order in Natco's favour. It became India's first compulsory licence that drew global attention.
Irked, US had placed India on its Priority Watch List over the ruling
The irony is, it was Cancer that took him away.
'From pharma fiat to leading '18 relief ops, Kurian was 'textbook' bureaucrat'
M.S.Vidyanandan, The New Indian Express, 28.08.2026
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