India: Jesuit Educator and Former CBSE Chairman Fr. Thomas V. Kunnunkal Laid to Rest at 99

Well-known Indian educationist and former Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Fr. Thomas V. Kunnunkal, SJ, was laid to rest on January 30, following his death on January 28, 2026, at the Jesuit House in New Delhi. He was 99.

Fr. Kunnunkal was one of India’s most influential Catholic educators, whose lifelong service left a lasting imprint on the country’s educational landscape. In 1989, on the advice of the Government of India, he founded the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and served as its Chairman, significantly expanding access to education for marginalized and non-traditional learners.

He served twice as Principal of St. Xavier’s School, New Delhi, from 1962 to 1979, earning deep respect from generations of students. Late Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of India often referred to him affectionately as “my Principal,” a testament to his enduring influence.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to education, the Government of India conferred on him the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 1974.

Fr. Kunnunkal also served as a member of two major central government commissions: the National Commission on Teachers (1983) and the National Commission for Review of the National Policy on Education (1987). He held key leadership roles as Director of the Indian Social Institute and President of the Islamic Studies Centre.

Closely associated with the Jesuit Education Association of India—which oversees 101 high schools and 25 colleges managed by the Society of Jesus—he served in different tenures as its President and General Secretary.

Former students and associates paid glowing tributes to Fr. Kunnunkal, recalling his calm leadership, humility, and deep faith in others.

“We always saw him as a towering figure whose contribution to education was immense,” recalled Amit Goel, a member of the 1981 batch of St. Xavier’s School. Sharing on social media, Goel remembered Fr. Kunnunkal’s reassuring presence during school events. “He would smile and say, ‘What matters is the effort. Once you make an honest effort, things will fall into place.’ He always calmed everyone down.”

Goel also recalled Fr. Kunnunkal’s accessibility even in advanced age. “Until he needed a wheelchair, he walked all over the school, meeting everyone. He was always approachable. People with such calm, grace, and affection are very rare.”

Mr. Yacoub Mathew, Managing Director of Wells Fargo Advisors, New York, and an alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, who remained in touch with Fr. Kunnunkal for over five decades, described him as a man of deep trust in others. “He always emphasized the need for people to help one another,” Mathew said.

Fr. Thomas V. Kunnunkal’s legacy lives on through the institutions he built, the policies he helped shape, and the countless lives he touched through education, compassion, and quiet leadership.