Being born into a big family is a privilege, being the sixth son in a line is an aberration. When there are many brothers and then a younger sister to talk, to laugh, to care, to quarrel, to fight, to understand, to support, to guide and to love, then it is eternal. I am one of those fortunate ones. When I was born, my parents along with my five brothers were there to welcome me to this world and my journey with them started on that day.

My eldest brother, Prof. K. K. John (Kochachen) was born on 21st September 1932. When he was three years old, my father carried him to S.B College on a Sunday evening. He entered into a classroom, carried little John on his arm, held his hand and using a chalk wrote the first alphabets on the board. It was the burning unfulfilled desire for the education of my father that prompted him to educate his child at an early stage. The next day Achayen took him to St. James primary school, for admission in standard one. The headmaster Mr. Thomma told my father that the child was too young to be admitted, but after a lot of persuasion and pleading, John was admitted. Children in 1935 wore a lankotti (konakam) and a small wrapper (mundu) of loin cloth when they went to primary school.

One day Mr. Thomma was teaching the children about the goat. When Little John looked through the window, he saw a goat grazing on the school compound. He suddenly stood up removed his mundu, kept it on the bench and ran shouting 'goat' out of the classroom. When the other children saw this they also removed their wrappers and ran after John. When the teacher realized the situation, he saw the goat running, pursued by John with other children, all naked. A beautiful sight indeed. In the evening, Mr. Thomma angry and furious came to see my father and narrated him about the incident and blamed him for sending the child to the school at that age even after his objections. Achayen smiled and told Mr. Thomma that John had acted with a practical mind. When he was teaching about a goat, John saw the goat outside and wanted to show other children the animal. If the teacher had shown the children the goat outside, the incident would not have taken place. He removed the mundu because he knew that he couldn't run fast with the mundu. My father assessed John at that age, a child with a practical mind. All his life John approached the problems and difficult situations of family members and associates with composure and a practical mind.

He completed his Bachelor's degree in Physics in 1951 from S.B College, the year I was born. He has been a father figure to me and influenced me throughout my life. He loved his family without any boundaries which illuminated the life of every family member. His love for his father was redoubled, and his concern for him was unashamedly intense. His love for his mother was warm and uncritical. His affection for me was special and fierce. His good-will and generosity for others were admirable.

After completing his Master's degree in physics from Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh, he joined S.B College, Changanasserry as a lecturer in the Dept. of Physics in 1955. He went to the same classroom for his first lecture where he wrote the first alphabets twenty years earlier. Surprisingly without his knowledge, my father went to the college in the morning and peeped through the window of the classroom while my brother was writing on the same blackboard. It was a very emotional and tearful moment for my father. Soon my brother became a popular lecturer known as 'John Sir' in the University and in Changanasserry. He was promoted as a professor in 1975 and became the Head of the dept. in 1986 a position which he held till he retired from services in 1993.

Kochachen was very careful with money. He believed that with money comes responsibility, money isn't about spending, but for using for necessities. He acquired a sense of great leadership towards his brothers and sister at an early age and never forgot it. He was a great success as the eldest brother. I saw him a reserved person, slightly detached from the surroundings and never saw the humorous side of his personality.

The first marriage in our family took place in 1962 when Kochachen married Thressiamma, daughter of Mr. N. T. Devasia Naduvileparampil. It was exceptionally an exciting moment for us younger children since we didn't have an elder sister. We called her chechy (elder sister) and soon found her so loving and caring that we hovered around her like butterflies. We enjoyed her presence and company. She has been extraordinarily generous and gracious.