Who was Thomas?

Who was Thomas? 

Thomas is mentioned in seven other passages in the gospels. We suspect he was a Jew and that he originated from Galilee though we know little of his background or his family. The 'Acts of Thomas' written in the 3rd Century suggests that Thomas travelled to India in AD52. There was already a Jewish community in situ and Thomas set about converting them to the new message of Jesus. Evidence of Thomas's mission to India was mentioned by a number of Roman authors and is clearly in evidence today. The name of 'Thomas' is ubiquitous in the local community, appearing frequently on baptism registers as well as frontages of local shops.