The Catholic Church in India is mourning the death of Bishop Devprasad Ganawa SVD, the first member of the Bhil indigenous community to be raised to the episcopate. He died on October 4, 2026, following a cardiac arrest. He was 74.
Bishop Ganawa, who served as the second Bishop of Jhabua and later as the second Bishop of Udaipur, leaves behind a legacy of priestly and episcopal service, particularly among the tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in western India.
His death marks the passing of a pioneering Church leader whose life reflected the journey of the Bhil community within the Catholic Church. From his beginnings in Panchkui, Jhabua, to becoming the first Bhil bishop, his life remained closely connected with the people and region he served.
Bishop Devprasad Ganawa was born on December 8, 1951, at Panchkui, Jhabua, in Madhya Pradesh, to Daniel Ganawa and Caroline Ganawa. He joined the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) on July 1, 1965, at St. Thomas Seminary, Mhow, in Madhya Pradesh. He made his First Vows on June 8, 1974, and his Final Vows on June 7, 1981, at the Divine Word Seminary, Pune, in western India.
He was ordained a priest on October 27, 1982, at Panchkui, his native place, by Bishop George Anathil SVD of Indore.
His priestly ministry included pastoral, formation and leadership responsibilities. He served as assistant parish priest in Khandwa and Khargone, both in Madhya Pradesh, before returning to St. Thomas Seminary, Mhow, where he was Prefect and Director of Studies from 1987 to 1988 and Rector from 1988 to 1993.
From 1993 to 1996, he served as Rector of Catholic Ashram, Palda, Indore, followed by pastoral ministry in Ranapur, Jhabua, from 1996 to 2002. From 2002 to 2007, he served as Director of Maitri Sadan, Udaipur, in Rajasthan, where he was also a leader for interreligious dialogue. He later served as parish priest of St. Arnold’s Church, Meghnagar, from 2007 to 2009.
A historic turning point came on June 16, 2009, when he was appointed Bishop of Jhabua, becoming the first Bhil to be raised to the episcopate. Jhabua is in western Madhya Pradesh, an area closely associated with the Bhil community.
His appointment was particularly significant for the Bhil community, as a son of the tribal soil became a shepherd of the Church among people whose culture, struggles, aspirations and faith he knew closely.
On February 18, 2013, he was appointed Bishop of Udaipur, becoming the second bishop of the diocese. Udaipur is a major city in the southern part of Rajasthan, a state in northwestern India.
For more than four decades as a priest and bishop, Bishop Ganawa served in parishes, seminaries, formation houses and diocesan leadership. His ministry crossed generations of seminarians, clergy, religious and lay faithful.
His death is deeply felt in Jhabua and Udaipur, where he served as a pastor and bishop, and among the tribal communities with which his life and vocation were closely connected.
His journey from Panchkui to the episcopate remains a significant chapter in the history of the Catholic Church in India. As the Church mourns his passing, it gives thanks for the life and vocation of a man who became the first bishop from the Bhil community and dedicated his life to the Church and its people.
The faithful entrust Most Rev. Devprasad Ganawa SVD to the mercy of God, praying that the Lord whom he served throughout his priestly and episcopal life may welcome him into eternal life.
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