Jesuits in India

The Immense Contribution of Jesuits in India

For Centuries, Jesuits have served the society and continue to make the world a better place. Not only in Europe and the Americas, but very much in Asia and especially in India too. Below is a compilation of some of their contributions in our Motherland “India”.

  • Anthony Monserrate SJ, Spaniard, (1536-1600) was the first geographer to complete a map of India in 1590.
  • Thomas Stevans SJ, English, (1549-1619) wrote “Krista Purana” a classic in Marathi.
  • The first printing press in India was started by the Jesuits in 1556.
  • Robert De Nobili SJ, Italian, (1577-1656) was the first European Sanskrit Scholar. He wrote 21 books in Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit.
  • Richard SJ, French, was the first to use telescope on Indian soil in 1689 in Pondicherry.
  • Constanzo Giuseppe Beschi SJ, Italian, (1680-1747) is called the “Father of Tamil Prose”.
  • Antonio Moscheni SJ, Italian, (1854-1905) was a great painter who painted the St. Aloysius’ College Chapel, Mangalore, the Holy Name Cathedral of Mumbai, and the Holy Cross Cathedral, Kochi.
  • Jerome D’Souza SJ, Indian, (1896-1977) was a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly and four times India’s delegate to the UN General Assembly. Made considerable contributions to the Constitutions of India.
  • Camille Buckle SJ, Belgian, (1909-1982) is India’s most famous Christian Hindi Scholar and a well-known lexicographer. He received Padma Bhushan.
  • Johans SJ, Dandoy SJ, Antonie SJ and Fallon SJ, Belgians of St. Xavier’s College, Kolkatta, were great Indologists and enriched the Bengali & Sanskrit.
  • Carlos Valles SJ, Spaniard, (1925- ) was awarded the Ranjitram Gold Medal for his contribution to Gujarati language.
  • Anthony de Mello SJ, Indian, (1931-1987) endeavoured to integrate Christian spirituality with Eastern concepts and methods of prayer.
  • Pallithanam SJ, Indian, one of the first Indian Jesuit botanists.
  • M. Mathew SJ, Indian, the most productive Indian taxonomist ever. He is the world’s specialist in Jasmine.
  • Lancolot D’Cruz SJ, Indian, has developed people-forest-industry linkages for socio-economic development and protection of the traditional medial knowledge.
  • Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu SJ, Indian, discovered an insect which has been named after him Ignacimuthue.
  • Leo D’Souza SJ, Indian, is a pioneer in plant tissue culture and in vitro propagation of several forest trees.
  • Cecil Saldanha SJ, Taxonomist. He has done extensive research and published volumes on Hassan & Karnataka flora.
  • Rudolph Aquaviva SJ, Fr. Duarte Leitao SJ & Fr. Christobal de vege SJ, were in the court of Akbar at his own request.
  • Bento de Goes SJ went to Tibet by the land route and prepared the way to the unknown and forbidden lands.
  • Constant Lievens SJ (1856-1893) started the co-operative movement in Chotanagpur region.
  • Anthony Moscheni SJ embellished St Aloysius College Chapel with his paintings.
  • Peter Royappan SJ of Sembaganur served in postal service for 36 years and the Gov. recognized him as managing “the Best Post Office in India”.

Further Reading

Parts of the content on this page have been taken from the following external links, and we are grateful for the content.