Board of Governors

Gnana Patrick, Ph.D., formerly Professor and Head of the Department of Christian Studies, University of Madras, holds a doctorate in Christian Studies. In the year 2013, he was awarded the Fulbright – Nehru Visiting Lecturer Fellowship and taught a course on Public Religion: Learning from Indian and American Experiences at the Divinity School, Harvard University, USA. His published books include Pothuveli Iraiyiyal (Public Theology [Tamil], 2022), Public Theology – Indian Concerns, Perspectives and Issues (USA: Fortress Press, 2020), Indian Christianity and Its Public Role (edited, New Delhi: Christian World Imprint, 2019), Wings of Faith – Public Theologies in India (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2013), Religion and Subaltern Agency (2003); Oral Traditions and Theology (1996); and Resonances (Tamil). He was given the Best Researcher Award by the University of Madras for the year 2017-18. He served the University of Madras as Dean – Endowments, Dean – Student Affairs, Dean-Research and as Chairperson of the School of Philosophy and Religious Thought. Presently, he is a member of the Executive Committee of the Global Network for Public Theology.

Father Kulandaisamy Rayar known as “Fr R.K.,” earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of Dayton, USA. His dissertation, directed by Johann Roten, and examined by Fr Wilfred Felix is entitled: “Vailankanni: A Marian Shrine in a Multi-Cultural and Multi-Religious Milieu. Toward a Model Theology for Vailankanni.” 

Fr R.K.  was the associate Director of NBCLC where he conducted various national and international seminars for the Church in India. He is the author of The Marian Dimension in Post-Conciliar Theology with a Particular Focus on Some Christologies and Ecclesiologies and editor of many books the most well-knowm among them Mary in Our Search for Fullness of Life. He has written two more books on Mary, the Exemplar of Faith Alone, and Mary the Exemplar of Grace Alone. Among his many initiatives in the Catholic Church in India, Fr R.K.  supports venture capital for ministries and is well-respected both among scholars and pastoral agents. He is currently a parish priest in the Diocese of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India, and teaches at St Paul’s Major Seminary in Tiruchirappalli, India. He is also the founder of the Marian Institute which is named Arokia Niketan in Vailankanni and also the founder of the Mariological Society of India. He is a original thinker who reads the sings of the times and encourages new initiatives.   rkfr1960@gmail.com

Dr Pushpa Joseph has a Ph.D. from the University of Madras.  She taught in Madras University for more than ten years. She was a Trustee of the United Board of Higher Education for nine years and was also the co-chair of its South Asian Task Force and Professor Mentor of the IASACT programme of the United Board for five years. She was Director of the Centre for Women’s Studies, DVK, Bangalore.  She has published in the area of Feminist Studies, Hermeneutics, Bioethics, Spirituality and other areas in theology. Her contributions include Feminist Hermeneutics: A Contextual Reconstruction published by Salesian College, Darjeeling, and Re-imagining Marriage and Family in Asia: Asian Christian Women’s Perspectives (Ed.) published by SIRD Malaysia, and more than 40 articles in national and international books and journals.

Rev. Fr. Dr Sebastian Periannan is a diocesan priest of Thanjavur South India. Currently, he is the Secretary and correspondent of Annai Vailankanni Arts and Science college at Thanjavur.

Formerly, he has worked as a broadcaster and Director of Tamil Section of Radio Veritas Asia, Manila, The Philippines (1989-96). After his doctorate from the state University of the Philippines, he was appointed to teach at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary/ Institute at Bangalore. He serves as Rector of the seminary during 2003- 2009. He lectures on Social and Pastoral communication, and Research Methodology. He has published several articles in various journals and published couple of books.

He has been associated with (ARC) Asian Research on Communication, Bangkok Thailand.

Dr. A. L. Anthony Sebastian is the Principal of Christ College and Director of JD Academy of Excellence, both the Institutions are the Higher Education Units of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore. He is a visiting Faculty at the University of Madras (one of the highest rated universities in India, with a “Five Star” status). He is a visiting Faculty in the National University of Singapore. He has taught in the Departments of Journalism & Communication and Christian Studies. He has also taught in the Sacred Heart College, Chennai, India. He has done his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism and his doctoral work in the inter-disciplinary field of Communication and Christian Studies. He was awarded research fellowship by University Grants Commission, the apex body administering the universities in India. He teaches Communication skills, Journalism, Public Relations, Human rights, and Human Resource management and Ethics in various institutions. He also travels abroad for teaching, participating and presenting papers on varied subjects.

Dr. Johnson Siluvaipillai holds a doctorate in pastoral theology. He has obtained his PhD from the university of K.U. Leuven, Belgium in the year 2008. He was serving as a professor of theology and also as the Dean of Studies from 2002-2016 in St. Paul’s Seminary-Tiruchirappalli. He has written a few theological articles both in Tamil and English. He has contributed to Concillium- an international theological journal. At present he is doing his ministry in his own diocese Kottar as the Vicar Forane of Kanyakumari vicariate.