Frank Anthony
Frank Anthony (25 September 1908 – 3 December 1993) was a prominent leader of the Anglo-Indian community in India, and was until his death their nominated representative in the Parliament of India except 6th and 9th Lok Sabha. He served as the president of the All India Anglo-Indian Association.[1]
He was also the founder of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) which operates the ICSE board of Education in India.[2]
Early life and education
Frank Anthony was born in Jubbulpore (Presently known as 'Jabalpur')on 25 September 1908. He studied at Nagpur University and Inner Temple, London and became Bar-at-law.
Role in Constituent Assembly
In 1942–46 he was a member of the Central Legislative Assembly, and later a member of the Constituent Assembly of India during 1946–50 and represented the Anglo-Indian community in assembly. He was also temporary vice president of Constituent Assembly & he was a part of the Advisory Committee and Sub-committee on Minorities.[3]
Career
In 1942, Anthony was elected the president-in-chief of the community of the All India Anglo-Indian Association. He opposed the partition of India on the grounds that it would jeopardise the interests of the minority communities.[1] When the future of India was being decided by British, Hindu and Muslim leaders, he presented the Anglo-Indian case to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, and they agreed to make special provisions for the Anglo-Indians in the Indian Constitution. In particular, the Lok Sabha (Lower House) of the Indian parliament has two seats reserved for members of the Anglo-Indian community, the only reserved seats in the House.
Anthony was a member of the Provisional Parliament during 1950–52. He was nominated to all Lok Sabha from the 1st till the 10th, except the 6th and 9th Lok Sabha.[4]
After Anthony retired from practising as a lawyer, Prime Minister Nehru in 1952 asked him to go to Peshawar to defend Mehr Chand Khanna, the ex-finance minister of the North-West Frontier Province. In those days no Hindu lawyer would go to Peshawar. Following Anthony's discussions with the chief minister, Khanna was released. In October 1946, he was one of India's delegates at the United Nations. In 1948 and 1957, he represented India at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. In 1978, Anthony assisted the Nehru family when Indira Gandhi was arrested.
Anthony's greatest contribution was in the field of Anglo-Indian education. In 1947, he was elected chairman of the Inter-State Board of Anglo-Indian Education. He was also the Founder-Chairman of the All India Anglo-Indian Educational Trust which, today, owns and administers six schools named after him, including The Frank Anthony Public School, New Delhi, The Frank Anthony Public School, Bengaluru, The Frank Anthony Public School, Kolkata and three Frank Anthony Junior Schools in the cities of Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi. These schools took as inspiration the model of the long-establish English public school.
Anthony was also the chairman of the ICSE Council.
References
- Mansingh, Surjit (2006). Historical Dictionary of India. Scarecrow Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-8108-6502-0.
Anthony was vocally critical of the British Raj in India for its racial discrimination in matters of pay and allowances, and for failing to acknowledge the sterling military and civil contributions made by Anglo-Indians to the Raj. Anthony vociferously opposed Partition and fought for the best interests of his community as Indians, not Britishers.
- "St Kabir School win debate contest". Chandigarh Tribune. Chandigarh, India. 30 April 2002. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- Frank Anthony's Timeline. Cadindia.clpr.org.in. Retrieved on 15 November 2018.
- "ANTHONY, SHRI FRANK, Tenth Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile". Lok Sabha Secretariat. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.