John Mathai (1886-1959) - India's first Railway Minister

• John Mathai was an economist who served as India's first Railway Minister and subsequently as India's Finance Minister.

• He was born in 1886 in Kozhikode in Kerala.

• John mathai presented first Budget in Independent India, in 1948. He presented two budgets as Finance Minister.

• He was the first Chairman of the State Bank of India when it was set up in 1955.

• He served as the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Kerala from 1957 to 1959.

• His nephew, Verghese Kurien, was the father of India's White Revolution.