YMCA had its beginning at Kottayam in 1888 at a time when the YMCA movement was spreading with remarkable rapidity throughout S. India and especially in the erstwhile States of Travancore and Cochin, under the direct supervision of Christian missionaries or at the suggestion of Missionaries. Although such an organization was formed in 1888, no trace of it remained after a few months of its starting.

The present Young Men's Christian Association of Kottayam was started in 1892, when David McConaughy, Secretary of the Madras YMCA and National Council of YMCAs of India visited Kottayam. A meeting of persons desirous of forming a YMCA at Kottayam was held at the CNI Hall, (the present CMS College High School), Kottayam on 19 August that year. Revds. S. W. Organe, A. J. F. Adams, J. Thompson, E. Bellerby, T. I. Abraham, Messrs P. J. Abraham, T. K. Kuruvilla, T. I. Cherian, P. P. Kurian, A. K. Varkey, T. K. Benjamin, M. M. Varghese, T. M. Thomas, Senior students of the CMS College and the CNI, and many others attended the meeting. Following a Hymn and Prayer, McConaughys poke at length on the needs and the method of working the YMCAs as evangelistic units for Christ and the Apostolate. It was, thereafter, decided that a YMCA be started at Kottayam. Twenty persons among those present expressed their willingness to become members of the Kottayam YMCA. At McConaughy's suggestion, a Sub Committee was constituted with the primary objective of drawing up a suitable Constitution for the YMCA. The following were the members of this Sub Committee:-

The Rev. J. Thompson

A meeting of this Committee held on 28-9-1892 drew up the draft Constitution, salient features of which were as under:--

"The name of the Association shall be 'The Young Men's Christian Association of Kottayam.' The object shall be to promote the spiritual, mental, social and physical welfare of young men, Christian fellowship among its members, and aggressive Christian work, especially by and for young men. The members of this Association shall be young men of not less than 15 years of age, and shall be classified as 'active' and 'associate'. Any young man who is a member in good standing of a Christian Evangelical Church may be an active member. Active members only shall have the right to vote. Any young man of good character may become an associate member, associate members shall have all privileges of active members but not the right to vote and hold office. Members may be elected at any regular meeting by two thirds vote of the members present provided their names should have been proposed at a previous regular meeting. The membership fee shall be 8 annas per year, payable quarterly in advance. The officers shall be a President, Secretary and Treasurer, chosen by ballot by the active members at the annual meeting to serve for one year or until their successors are elected. The officers shall compose the Executive Committee which shall have general management of the affairs of the Association. The Executive Committee shall report to the Association at each rcgu13r meeting. If any vacancy occurs in the office it shall be filled by ballot at the next meeting or the Association. No debt shall be incurred by the Association."

A general meeting of the members was held in the CNI on Friday the 30th September 1892 with Rev. J. Thompson in the chair. The draft Constitution drawn up by the Sub Committee was read clause by clause and the Constitution of the Kottayam YMCA was adopted by the general body. The Sub Committee, having satisfactorily completed the objective for which it was constituted, tendered its resignation. The general body, thereafter, elected the following as THE F1RST OFFICE BEARERS OF THE KOTTAYAM YMCA:-

Rev. J. Thompson, M.A.

(Appointment of Vice President was not provided for in the draft Constitution, but included at the suggestion of the general body.)

Membership Committee, Religious Meeting Committee, Invitation Committee, Visitation Committee, Missionary Committee, Junior Departmental Committee. Each Committee elected its own Secretary.

The first year's activities consisted of religious meetings every Monday, Bible class on Sundays, Literary and Social meetings once each a month. The first devotional meeting was held on Monday 3rd October 1892 when Bishop Edward Noel Hodges of the Anglican Church spoke on the need of culture for body, mind and spirit.

In those days Travancore was ruled by Sri Moolam Thirunal Maharaja. Although Kottayam was then a District headquarters, it was not a Municipal town. A perusal of the ensuing chapter will give the reader some sort of an insight into the cultural, social, communal, and historic and such other aspects of Kottayam during the early beginnings of the YMCA.