Kerala
Vanika Vaisya Sanghom (KVVS) is the sole organization of Vanika Vaisya (Hindu) Community in the State of Kerala under Indian Union. It represents around 15 lakhs of people of this Community and functions in the entire State of Kerala. The Sangham (KVVS) came into existence in the year 1942. This is a registered organisation under Non Trading Companies Act of Travancore and has a definite Bye-Law. The Head Quarters of the Sangham is situated in Thiruvanathapuram, the Capital City of the State in its own land & building and has a total of 203 Branches (Sakhas) across the State. This is a Charitable Organisation and under it, there functions Subsidiary Organisations viz. Vanika Vaisya Educational and Employment Trust (VVE&E Trust), Devaswom Samithi, Kerala Vanika Vaisya Youth Federation (KVVYF), Kerala Vanika Vaisya Mahila Federation (KVVMF), Sneha Samaj Kerala, Balasalabham, Pravasi Sangham and Vaniyar Relief Fund
State Committee
The Administrative Authority of the Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham is the State Committee, which consists of the Office bearers of the Sangham ie. President, 3 Vice Presidents, General Secretary, Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Devaswom Secretary, 5 Regional Secretaries, elected members one each from all the 14 Districts, President and Secretary of all the 14 District Committees, President and General Secretaries of all the Subsidiary Organisations viz. Kerala Vanika Vaisya Mahila Federation, Kerala Vanika Vaisya Youth Federation, Sneha Samaj Kerala,VVE & E Trust and 3 Sangham Advisory Board Members. The State Committee implements and governs the policies and programmes decided by the State General Body with the approval of State Council. All the administration regarding the Sangham, its District Units, Sakhas and the supervision & control of all the subsidiary organizations and Institutions under the Sangham are managed by the State Committee.
District Committee
All the Branches (Sakhas) in the particular District are supervised and controlled by the concerned District Committee of the Sangham. The District President and Secretary of all the District Committees of the Subsidiary Organisations are members in the Sangham District Committee. Also the District President and Secretary of the Sangham District Committees are the ex-officio members in the District Committe of the Subsidiary Organisations.
The District Committee consists of a President, 2 Vice Presidents, Secretary, 2 Joint Secretaries, Treasurer (District office bearers), a State Committee Member, three State Council Members, all the Branch Presidents and Secretaries, delegates to District Committee one each elected from all the Branches and District Presidents and Secretaries of all the subsidiary organizations in the District.
The root level administrative organization unit of the Sangham is Sakhas (Branches). Each Branch in the State has a well defined area of charge. The need and welfare of the Vanika Vaisya Community members and their families in the respective area are looked after by the Sakhas. The Branch Committee consists of President, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer, and a maximum of 10 committee members. The Branches have to elect one District Executive Committee Member and Delegates to the District/State General Bodies and one delegate for every 25 members of the Sakha. In the Sakhas there also functions the Branch Units of the Subsidiary Organisations viz. Mahila Federation, Youth Federation,Balasalabham etc.
Many of the Branches of the Sangham has their own office buildings, some units have purchased plots for constructing their own building. The Triandrum City Branch has a two storied spacious building with Kalyanamandapam in the heart of the city, very close to the famous Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple.
For the smooth and efficient administrative convenience, the various functions of the Sangham have been entrusted to subsidiary organizations with definite By-Laws & specific duties & responsibilities. Following are these subsidiary organizations owned by the Sangham.
About Vanika Vaisya Community in Kerala
Vanika Vaisya Community in Kerala is one of the Backward Communities eligible for reservation in Public Service. Since 3 % Reservation is only available now, grouped together for 63 communities the percentage of reservation community is quite meagre. The economic conditions of the majority are also very poor, about 40 to 45% of them live below poverty line. Systematic community efforts are required to raise the standard of living of the people. Though the State Govt, often bring forward several developmental projects and programmes, as part of its decentralization efforts, quite often such benefits do not reach our people for want of either influence or political backing. Lack of infoation often devoid the people of their due share. It is here that the Sangham is trying to help our people.
History of Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham
The History of the Sangham begins with the foation of Travancore Vanika Vaisya Sangham. When foed the Thiru-Kochi State by transfoing Travancore and Kochi, the name of Sangham is changed as Thiru-Kochi Vanika Vaisya Sangham. There after when the State of Kerala foed by merging Travancore, Kochi and Malabar, the name of Sangham again changed as the Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sanghom (KVVS), the present Organisation.
When the State of Kerala foed, the erstwhile parts of Travancore viz. Kanyakumari, Nagercovil, Thenkasi, Kottar fo part of Tamil Nadu State. Accordingly the Branches of the Sangham situated in Kanyakumari, Nagercovil, Thenkasi and Kottar were merged with the Vanika Vaisya Sangham in Tamil Nadu.