SC lawyer Thomas Alva passes away

Bengaluru (PTI): Niranjan Thomas Alva, a Supreme Court lawyer and husband of Congress leader Margaret Alva, passed away here on Saturday after brief illness, a family member said. Alva, 78, died this morning around 10.30 am at the Ramaiah Hospital where he was admitted for 20 days following chest congestion, the family member told PTI.

A reputed orator, he practised law at the Supreme Court. One of the landmark litigations he led resulted in women flight attendants in the Air India getting the same rights and privileges as their male counterparts including full retirement benefits and the right to bear children.

Son of Joachim and Violet Alva, freedom fighters and the first couple in Parliament, Alva was also a former Director of the State Bank of India. He later served as a board member of the State Bank of India in Karnataka for over a decade.

He had played a key role in expanding the footprints of the All India Catholic University Federation as its president across the country in late 1950s. Alva is survived by wife Margaret and children Niret, Nikhil, Manira and Nivedith.

The funeral service will take place on Sunday at 4 pm at the St Theresa of Kolkata Church here followed by the cremation at Hebbal Crematorium, the family member said.