Veteran community leader Chethicad Oommen Thomas has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List for his outstanding service to the Indian community of Victoria, recognising more than five decades of leadership, community building, charitable work and faith-based service.
Mr Thomas, who migrated to Victoria in 1969 shortly after the dismantling of the White Australia Policy, has played a pivotal role in helping generations of Indian migrants settle, connect and thrive in Australia.
Over the past 50 years, he has been at the forefront of building community organisations, supporting charitable initiatives and establishing institutions that continue to serve thousands of Indian Australians today.
The Governor-General announced the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List, which recognises 948 Australians for exceptional service and achievement across a broad range of fields including community service, medicine, science, education, defence, sport and the arts.
“As Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, I am delighted to announce and congratulate the remarkable Australians receiving honours in The 2026 King’s Birthday list,” said Sam Mostyn.
“Our honours system recognises outstanding people who contribute so much to Australia. In our communities, in workplaces and across the country, recipients have made an exceptional contribution to Australia.”
Mr Thomas’s recognition highlights a lifetime dedicated to strengthening multicultural Australia and supporting the growth of Victoria’s Indian diaspora.
One of his most significant contributions was founding the Malayalee Association of Victoria in 1976, becoming its inaugural president. The organisation became a vital social and cultural hub for migrants from Kerala and helped preserve language, traditions and cultural identity while encouraging integration into Australian society.
His commitment to community service extended beyond cultural activities. As a long-time member and former president of the Australia India Society of Victoria (AISV), he worked to foster stronger ties between Australia and India and promote multicultural understanding within the broader Victorian community.
During his leadership with AISV, Mr Thomas helped establish the Victorian Indian Community Charitable Trust in 1986, serving as its founding chairman. The trust was created to provide financial assistance and support to disadvantaged members of the community and remains an enduring example of his belief that community organisations should also address social and humanitarian needs.
Colleagues and community members describe him as a leader who consistently combined vision with compassion, using his influence to create opportunities and support networks for newly arrived migrants and vulnerable families.
Much of Mr Thomas’s service has also been inspired by his Christian faith. He was instrumental in bringing the Indian Orthodox Church to Victoria and is recognised as one of the founding figures behind the establishment of Indian Orthodox congregations in Australia.
As a founding member of what is now St Mary’s Indian Orthodox Cathedral, he served in numerous leadership roles including trustee, committee member and church development convenor. He later chaired development initiatives that helped establish multiple Indian Orthodox churches across Victoria.
His contributions included fundraising, coordinating building projects, organising renovations and helping establish trust structures to ensure the long-term sustainability of church institutions. Today, the Indian Orthodox community in Victoria has grown substantially, with several churches and regional congregations serving worshippers across the state.
Community leaders credit Mr Thomas’s efforts with helping transform what began as a small migrant congregation into a thriving religious and cultural network that continues to support new generations of Indian Australians.
The King’s Birthday Honours List includes 702 recipients in the General Division of the Order of Australia, along with 34 military awards, 149 meritorious awards and 63 conspicuous service awards.
Recipients will attend investiture ceremonies at Government House in their respective states and territories in the coming months.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
