Sojan Joseph: Mental health nurse from Kerala and now UK's new MP
A family at Kottayam district in Kerala has more reasons to cheer over the victory of Labour party in the UK elections as a member of the family is also among the winners.
Sojan Joseph, a native of Onamthuruthu near Ettumanoor town of Kottayam district in central Kerala, won as Labour party candidate from Ashford in Kent.
Sojan's father C T Joseph, who is 86, and other family members are thrilled over Sojan's victory in a tightly fought election.
Sojan, who is 49, defeated Damian Green who is a former first secretary of state and minister for the cabinet office in the Theresa May government. Moreover Ashford has been a stronghold of the Conservative party.
"Sojan called us after the results came. It was indeed a tough contest and hence we are really excited and celebrating it," his brother in law Joe Palathunkal told DH.
Sojan is the youngest of the seven children of Joseph-Aelikutty couple. He did his schooling and college studies in Kottayam and did nursing studies at B R Ambedkar medical college in Bengaluru.
He went to the UK as a nurse in 2001. Now he is serving as a head of nursing in the National Health Service. His wife Brita is also a nurse and the couple has three children. Many of his close relatives are also in the UK. Sojan visited Kottayam in March in connection with his mother's first death anniversary.
C T Joseph, Sojan Joseph's father
Credit: Special Arrangement
Palathunkal said that Sojan was quite interested in social services and was also a marathon runner. He participated in several international marathons organised by various charity organisations. He joined the Labour party in around 2015 and won the district council elections in 2022.
Sojan's presence in the British parliament could also bring cheers to hundreds of Malayalis, especially from central Kerala, in the UK. A large chuck of them are into the nursing profession too.