Thomas Kunnunkal

Thomas Kunnunkal
Born 3 July 1926
Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Occupation Catholic priest, educationist
Awards Padma Shri
Commonwealth of Learning Fellow

Thomas V. Kunnunkal is an Indian jesuit priest, educationist[1] and writer.[2] He is a former chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE),[3] a former director of Indian Social Institute, New Delhi (2008-2009)[4][5] and the President of the Islamic Studies Association,[6] a non governmental organization promoting religious harmony.[7] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri in 1974.[8]

Biography

Thomas Kunnunkal was born on 3 July 1926 in Alappuzha, a coastal town in the south Indian state of Kerala and completed his school education at a local boarding school.[2] He did his college education in India and later, in the US,[9] majoring in English, Philosophy, Theology, Educational Administration and Educational Measurement, after which he joined the Society of Jesus ion 20 June 1945.[2] He started his career as the principal of St. Xavier's Senior Secondary School, New Delhi and held the post for two terms (1962-1974 and 1977-1979),[10] He headed the Central Board of Secondary Education of the Government of India from 1980 to 1987[2] and was the consultant to the Ministry of Human Resource Development for the turn key project to establish the National Open School, New Delhi.[9] When the institution was opened in 1989, Kunnunkal was appointed as the chairman of the institution,[11] a position he served till 1992.[2] He was associated with the Jesuit Education Association of India which controls 101 high schools and 25 colleges in India managed by the Society of Jesus, and was its president and the general secretary on different tenures.[12]

Kunnunkal has served two central government commissions, National Commission for Teachers (1983) and National Commission for Review of National Education Policy (1987) as a member.[2] He held the post of the research director of the Indian Social Institute from 2008 to 2009 and was a founder member and former director of the Educational Planning Group (EPG) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi.[2][13] He has also been associated with the Islamic Studies Association as its president[7][14] and with Dharma Bharati Mission,[15] as an associate.[16] He has published a book, The Role of Teachers in National Regeneration, which was released in 2005.[16] The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1974 and he was selected as an honorary fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, an intergovernmental organization under Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), promoting education, in 2006.[2][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Leadership for Mission The Jesus Model". Vidya Jyoti. 2004. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Fr. Thomas V. Kunnunkal, S.J". St . Xavier's Sr. Sec. School. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Instill value of pluralism in students". The Hindu. 15 February 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  4. ↑ "'Educators for Change' meet in Chennai tomorrow". 12 February 2015. The Hindu. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fides". Fides. 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Salam: the ISA Journal". Salam: the ISA Journal. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Christian-Muslim Relations". Peacenext.org. 13 February 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Padma Shri" (PDF). Padma Shri. 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "Speaker profiles". Foundation for Restoration of Natural Values. 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Former Principals". St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ "7 students honoured". 12 September 2002. The Tribune. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Education is effective instrument for empowerment". UCA News. 29 May 1990. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Educational Planning Group". St. Xavier's Senior Secondary School. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hizmat Movement: A modern miracle!". Indialogue Foundation. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Dharma Bharati Mission". Dharma Bharati Mission. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  16. 1 2 "India: a dream for the Indian people". Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.