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Joshua Kalapati

Early Life and Family

Dr. Joshua Kalapati is a teacher of Philosophy, theologian, historian, missiologist and educationist. Born in 1960, in the small town of Nayudupet, in Nellore District, Kalapati did his Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies in the Department of Philosophy, Madras Christian College. Having joined the same department as an Assistant Professor in 1985, he became its Head in 2013. Kalapati’s wife Mrs. Jyothi Salomi teaches Mathematics at Madras Christian College, and they are blessed with two children-Mylius and Miller.

Career as a Teacher and Researcher

Kalapati had taught philosophy and psychology for more than three and half decades in Madras Christian College, founded by the Scottish Missionaries in 1837. Founded in 1873, the Philosophy Department had great teachers like A.G. Hogg, who was a great influence on Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was the most distinguished student of the department. Kalapati did his doctoral thesis on the topic: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Christianity, which traces the formative influences of Radhakrishnan in Christian mission institutions, particularly in Madras Christian College, where he did his B.A. and M.A. during the years 1905-1908. The thesis was published by ISPCK, New Delhi in 2002, and the findings were amplified in International Journals. Issues such as comparative religion, East-West synthesis etc., were some notable themes in Radhakrishnan’s writings, which were highlighted by Kalapati.

In his long career, Dr. Kalapati had published more than five books and about 80 articles in National and International Journals.

Higher Studies in Scotland

After his doctorate, Dr. Kalapati did a Masters Course in Theology at New College, Edinburgh, in the year 1997-1998. It was during this time, Dr. Kalapati got interested in the history of Christian missionary institutions in India such as Madras Christian College, and published an essay on the early Scottish missionaries in Madras Presidency, tracing their contribution to Education and Social transformation.

The Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity (OESAC)

This Encyclopaedia Project is a major ecumenical reference work on the history and development of Christianity in South Asian countries. This 850 page Encyclopaedia (2 vols.), for which more than 450 writers contributed articles, was published by the Oxford University Press, New Delhi in January, 2012. The monumental work, in which Dr. Kalapati served as an Associate Editor and contributed 17 articles (listed below), which included topics such as-- Jainism, Buddhism, Nehru, Radhakrishnan, Amarya Sen. This Encyclopaedia was well received and reviewed by scholars all over the world.

Life and Legacy of Madras Christian College (1837-1978)

The other major Research Project of Dr. Kalapati had been the chronicling the 175 year old history of Madras Christian College. This book, published in 2012, is a 356 page documentation of the five historical phases of this good old institution, and is co-authored by Dr. Ambrose Jeyasekaran, who taught history in the college for more than three decades. This book traces the role of students during the Independence movement, who though, hated the British rulers, were sympathetic to their Scottish Professors in the College. A unique feature of Madras Christian College is its halls of residence, which were founded by Principal William Miller in 1880’s, which enabled inmates to develop leadership qualities. Yet another feature of this documentation is the role of the distinguished Professor on the faculty such as Walter Kibble, whose son Tom Kibble also distinguished himself as a scientist, who was reckoned for Nobel Prize for his researches into ‘God Particle’. Illustrious Tamil scholars such as Parithimal Kalaignar, Maraimalai Adigal, who were on the faculty, were also pioneers of Dravidian movement. Also, the uniqueness of the scrub jungle where the college is located is also well documented in this book.

On 3rd April, 2012, the College also celebrated the 175th anniversary, during which time a special supplement was brought out by the Hindu newspaper, and Kalapati contributed articles to this special issue.

Centre for Peace Studies

Commemorating the 175 years, Madras Christian College founded the Centre for Peace Studies with support from the United Board for Christian Higher Education. Dr Kalapati became its first Director, who also co-edited the book titled, An Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies in Colleges.

Kalapati also did some book reviews of those related to Indian Christian Theology. Biodiversity and bioethics are also academic fields to which Kalapati contributed articles.

Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies

Founded by the well-known Missologist Dr. Roger Hedlund, this Institute had brought out several publications in the last three decades. One of the latest books, edited by Dr. Joshua, is an appraisal of Missionary Legacy in India.

World Missionary Conference Centenary 2010

Among the many important papers presented by Dr. Joshua, was one contributed to the historic world missionary conference hosted by Edinburgh, which also hosted the first one in 1910. He also prepared a paper for this conference, which was published in Dharma Deepika: A South Asian Missological Journal. Dr. Kalapati also contributed articles on important contemporary subjects such as nonviolence, offering a Christian perspective. There were also occasions when Dr Kalapati delivered endowment lectures on important Christian thinkers such as Dr. Kunchala Rajaratnam.

Religious Diversity Seminar in Washington D.C.

The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. had organized a 5 week seminar on the theme: “Religion: Key to Understanding Violence and Promoting Peace” from 18th August, 2014 till 19th September. More than 15 scholars of Philosophy and Religion from around the world participated and read papers at the Seminar. Dr. Kalapati presented a paper titled: Religious Diversity in India: Issues fostering violence and Instruments promoting peace.

Kalapati also had the opportunity to visit Boston School of Theology to participate in a one day workshop and present the paper titled,  Social Distinctions among Indian Christians at home and in diaspora: Some future directions on 20th September in Boston, Mass. He also held discussions with Fr. Dr. Francis Clooney S.J., Director of the School of World Religions at the Harvard Divinity School.

Resource Person at Christian Medical College

The Christian Medical College had invited more than dozen Professors and Theologians in December, 2018, as part of their centenary celebrations of Medical Education in the College. Kalapati presented a paper on the theology of Health and Healing.

Awards

In recognition of his services to Education and Research, the foundation GEPRA, Chennai, awarded Dr. Kalapati, Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award in 2017. Justice Swamidurai, former Judge of Madras High Court presented this award with a citation and gold medal.

Major Publications

Articles in the Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity

2012  “ John Anderson” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.19

2012  “ Archival Resources at Madras Christian College” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.30

2012  “ Buddhism” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.110-112

2012  “ Conscience” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.199

2012  “ Chandran D.S. Devanesen” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.221-22

2012  “ Alfred G. Hogg” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, p.317

2012  “ Jainism” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, pp.347-348

2012  “Rajkumari Amrit Kaur”, Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 1, pp.369-70

2012  “ Madras Christian College” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, p.412

2012  “John Mathai” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, p.437

2012  “ William Miller” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol. 2, pp.449-450

2012  “Jawaharlal Nehru” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp.478-79

2012  “Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp.578-79

2012  “Reincarnation and Karma” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp.587-88

2012  “ Amartya Sen” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp. 618-19

2012  “Tambaram International Missionary Council Meeting, 1938” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp. 674-75

2012  “Universalism” in Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity, vol.2, pp.711-12

Books

2019 South Andhra Lutheran Church (1865-1965): A Pictorial History, February

2017 Dr. Chandran D.S. Devanesen: A Life of Love and Service: A Birth Centenary Commemorative Volume, co-edited with  Dr. Dayalan Devanesen

2016 Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: An Appraisal of the Missionary Legacy in India, Co-edited with Professor Daniel Jeyaraj and Dr. Gabriel Merigala.

2015 Rev. August Mylius: A Biography, Translation of a booklet from the Original German to English, along with Mr. C. Livingstone, Assistant Professor of German, MCC

2015 An Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies in Colleges, Co-edited with Rev. Dr. M.M. Ross and Rev. Dr. C.S. E. Ross

2010 Life and Legacy of Madras Christian College (1837-1978), October, 2010, Co-authored with Dr Ambrose Jeyasekaran.

2002 S. Radhakrishnan and Christianity: An Introduction to Hindu-Christian Apologetics, Delhi: ISPCK.

2001 Jointly edited the book, Current issues in Bioethics and Environment, Department of Philosophy,