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I. UPPACHAN

Uthup and Uppachan, are synonyms for Joseph. Joseph was born on October 4, 1934.
Abraham’s prosperity must have been at or near its peak when this son was born. After
nine deliveries, Naithy’s health had begun to take its toll. Therefore it was decided that
she would have the tenth baby in Kottayam, which had a hospital and medical help, if
needed. Naithy’s younger sister Mariamma and Abraham’s close friend Thomas Makil
were only happy to have Naithy with them for the delivery. All went well. Naithy did not
need any medical intervention. Cheera, her midwife, who had accompanied her from
Kaipuzha was more than adequate. Thomas and Mariamma Makil accepted to be the
godparents of the baby. He was called Joseph after his father’s older brother.

Uppachan evinced unusual power of memory from his childhood. His father decided that
he and his older sister Pennamma would stay home and be tutored at least during the first
few years. Sivaraman Nair, who was retained as Abraham’s accountant, was also the
resident tutor. He did a remarkable job with the two youngsters. Uppachan was ready to
be admitted to Grade Four by age six. However since Grade Four had a Government run
Examination at the end of the year, it was decided to admit Uppachan and his sister in
Grade Three in the Convent School. The sisters took good care of the little boy. Studies
went swimmingly well and after two years in St. Margaret’s Primary School, he
advanced to St. George’s English Middle School

By the time he was in Form II (equivalent of Grade Seven) his father was apprehensive
that Uppachan was advancing too fast for his own good. Therefore he asked Fr. Peter
Vattapparambil, (an old student of Abraham in Kidangore) to retain the boy for a year in
Form II. Uppachan completed Form III in 1947, and was to go to High School in
Thevara, rather than Mannanam, which was the death trap of education for the Pathyil
boys. Fr. Lucas Pathyil had secured admission in Sacred Heart High School Thevara,
recently opened by the T.O.C.D. Fathers. It was then that, Abraham, a cousin of
Uppachan who had gone to Coonoor to be in the Juniorate of The Brothers of St. Gabriel
came home for a visit. Uppachan was fascinated by what he heard from Abraham, and
expressed a strong desire to accompany Abraham to Coonoor. Pere Abraham was not one
to discourage such a decision. However he wanted to find for himself what the Brothers
had to offer in Coonoor. Therefore he accompanied his son to Coonoor, spent a few days
there in the company of the Brothers. The father and son were impressed by what they
saw, but for different reasons. Abraham thought that the education imparted by the
Brothers would be excellent for his son, with emphasis on prayer and discipline, and he
was not averse to his son eventually becoming a missionary Brother, if that was what he
wanted. Uppachan liked the convivial nature of the group, the prospect of unlimited fun
and games, a lot of friends, and a good time. Thus Abraham bade good-bye to his son in
May 1947. Young Joseph was to spend the next two decades with the Brothers of St.
Gabriel.

Language learning was not an impediment, nor were most subjects. Joseph’s biggest
headache was Mathematics. Speed was ingrained in him, but not accuracy. In spite of
solicitous attention, and extra help, the only examination in mathematics that the

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