Media Release

Mangaluru, Jul 29: The department of Political Science, St Aloysius College (autonomous) here, will organise a panel discussion on the theme, 'Mahatma Gandhi and the Differential Responses to Religious Belonging in India', at 2.00 pm, Sanidhya on August 1 to commemorate 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi.

Fr Dr Joachim Andrade, SVD, professor from Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Brazil will be the chief speaker dwelling on the issue of religion locating its roots to geography. The programme will be presided over by Fr Dionysius Vas, SJ, rector of St Aloysius Institutions.

Fr Praveen Martis, SJ principal will host the programme. Dr Rose Veera D'Souza, head of the department of Political Science will be the convenor for the programme.

Eminent panelists of this programme are Dr Valerian Rodrigues, former professor of Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi who will speak on 'Significance of the Pre-political in Mahatma Gandhi' and Dr Rajaram Tolpadi, former Professor of Political Science at Mangalore University will speak on 'Mahatma Gandhi on Religion and Politics'.

The programme will also host student panelists on the said theme.

The management and the department will felicitate eminent academicians in the panel for their contribution to social science in the coastal town.

About Fr Dr Joachim Andrade, SVD

Fr Dr Joachim Andrade, is a native of Bantwal who completed his degree education in Mysuru, completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology at Gyan Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He holds a degree in Bharatnatyam from Gyan Ashram, Institute of Performing Arts, Mumbai. Moved to Brazil in 1992 and at present serves as professor at Pontifical Catholic University of Parana at Curitiba, Brazil.

The professor holds a Masters Degree in Social Anthropology from Federal University of Parana, Brazil and doctorate in Sciences of Religion.