Veena George is an Indian politician and former journalist. She is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the incumbent Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Kerala (since 2021).
Wiki/Biography
Veena George was born on Tuesday, 3 August 1976 (age 46 years; as of 2022) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She completed her schooling at Mount Bethany High School Mylapra in the Pathanamthitta district. She completed her graduation and postgraduation in Physics from the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She completed her B.Ed from the University of Kerala as a rank holder. She was a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), a communist student union, during her college days. She worked as a teacher for one year, at the Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, before switching her career to journalism. She made her entry into politics after 16 years of working as a journalist and anchor. In 2016, Veena was named the CPIM candidate for the Aranmula State Assembly Constituency and emerged victorious in her debut election. In 2021, she replaced KK Shailaja, as the Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government.
Physical Appearance
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Veena George’s family hails from Mylapra, Pathanamthitta, Kerala.
Parents & Siblings
Veena George’s father, the late PE Kuriakose, was an advocate. Her mother, Smt. Rosamma Kuriakose, former Pathanamthitta Corporation councilor. She has two siblings, Adv. Vidya K Joseph and Vijay Kuriakose.
Husband & Children
Veena George is married to Dr George Joseph, a higher secondary school teacher. They have two children, one son and one daughter.
Veena George with her family
Address
Velasserri Palamuttathu House, Mylapra P.O. Pathanamthitta- 689 671
Career
Veena George worked briefly as a teacher before she became a journalist. She went on to become one of the best journalists in Kerala and won numerous awards in her 16-year career as a journalist and anchor. Veena George was named as a candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and won the 2016 legislative assembly election, in her second term as an MLA, Veena, was appointed as a minister in the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led ministry.
Journalism/Broadcast Journalism
Veena George started her journalism career in 2000 when she joined Kairali TV as a trainee journalist. She then joined Manorama News and established herself among the popular anchors of Kerala. Veena presented morning shows and special international shows. Veena then joined Indiavision and was part of the channel for some time before joining Reporter TV. In 2015, she made history by becoming the first female executive editor of a Malayalam news channel when she joined the TV New. Veena George has published various articles related to journalism.
Veena George interviewing Dalai Lama
Politics
She was a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) during her college days. Veena made an unexpected entry into mainstream politics in 2016 when she was declared CPI(M) candidate from the Aranmula State Assembly Constituency in the Pathanamthitta district. She defeated the senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader, K. Sivadasan Nair, in her debut election with a margin of 7646 votes. She contested in the 2019 Indian general election from the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat and came second in a highly contested election against the candidates of INC and BJP. Veena retained her seat in the 2021 Kerala legislative assembly elections and improved her margin of votes to 19,003.
Veena George during her election campaign
She was named the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, by the CPM in 2021; her successive victories in the legislative assembly elections from an INC stronghold and the remarkable leadership and organizational skills she demonstrated during the time of flood relief in Pathanamthitta in 2018 and 2019 were major factors that convinced the party leadership that Veena had the best profile to replace the former minister K K Shailaja. The Council assumed office on 20 May 2021, Veena, took oath in God’s name and later CPIM, through its spokesperson informed the press that party education will be given to the newcomers to develop rational and scientific consciousness. Veena made history when she became a minister; the first woman journalist-turned-politician appointed as a minister in Kerala.
People’s representatives of the Party are on the ground leading relief work.
Aranmula MLA Veena George in a relief camp.#KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/GUiSFSWBps
— CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) August 18, 2018
Awards
- Kerala TV Awards – Best Malayalam News Reader: 2012
Net Worth
Her net worth for the year 2021 is estimated to be Rs. 1,58,15,272.77.
Note: The given estimates of moveable and immovable assets are as of 2021. The moveable assets exclude the assets owned by her husband and dependants. Immovable assets include the assets owned by her husband.
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 58,589.59
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 15,23,201
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural land: Rs. 58,64,940
- Residential Buildings: Rs. 1,00,00,000
Liabilities
- Loans from Banks / FIs: Rs. 21,45,577.82
Facts/Trivia
- Veena George was the first female executive editor among Malayalam news channels. She became the executive editor of the Malayalam news channel TV New, in 2015.
- She is a rank holder in MSc (Physics) and B.Ed.
- Veena George taught at the Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, for a year before she switched to journalism.
- She loves reading and prefers travelling during her leisure time.