The Director of Institute of Indian Culture, a Post-Graduate Research Centre in Culture, Society and Religion, affiliated to the University of Mumbai. He has obtained his M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Pune, and his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) from the University of Mumbai, India. He worked two years at the Anthropos Institute at Sankt Augustin, Germany. He was also the Director of Ishvani Kendra, a Missiological Research Institute of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Pune, India. Prior to that he was the Director of Gyan Ashram, a Centre for Dialogue and Inculturation in Mumbai. He was Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Mumbai. Today he is also an Emeritus Professor and Adjunct Faculty of Cultural Anthropology, University of Mumbai. He was also the Asia Pacific Zonal Coordinator of the SVD for six years. Now he is the SVD Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Coordinator for Mission, Education & Research (MER).
Fifteen Ph.D. scholars has successfully completed their doctoral studies under his guidance. He was a Consulter to the Pontifical Council for Culture and Inter-Religious Dialogue, Vatican. He is the Secretary of the Bombay Archdiocesan Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue. He published about 100 articles in the national and international journals. The edited volume Dalits in Modern India: Vision and Values (1999; 2nd ed. 2007) was a best seller of Sage publications. It was translated into several languages.

2017
with Bernd Pflug (eds). The Humanistic Relevance of Anthropology: Further Writings on Anthropology by J.V. Ferreira. Navi Mumbai: Nav Vishnu Publications.

2016
with Jose Joseph SVD (eds). The Emerging Challenges to Christian Mission Today. Revisioning Mission from Religious, Cultural, Historical & Women Perspectives. Pune: Ishvani Kendra and Delhi: Christian World Imprints.

2015
Christianity and Cultures: Anthropological Insights for Christian Mission in India. Pune: Ishvani Kendra/ Delhi: ISPCK.

2014
Challenges to Christian Mission: Problems and Prospects. Pune: Ishvani Kendra.

2012
with Bernd Pflug (eds). Integral Anthropology. Selected Anthropological Writings of J.V. Ferreira. Delhi/Jaipur: Rawat Publications.

2010
Dalits’ Encounter with Christianity: A Case Study of Mahars in Maharashtra. Delhi: ISPCK & Pune: Ishvani Kendra.

2009
with Augustine Kanjamala SVD (eds). Violence against Christians in India. A Response. Mumbai: Institute of Indian Culture. Occasional Papers of IIC.

2008
with Kuriala Chittattkalam SDB (eds). Cultural Challenges in Christian Mission in the 21st Century, Delhi: Media House. CBCI Publications.

2007
(ed.), Dalits in Modern India: Vision and Values. New Delhi: Sage Publication. (New and Revised Second Edition; Marathi translation: New Delhi: Sage & Pune: Diamond Publications, 2007; Hindi translation: New Delhi: Sage & Delhi/Jaipur: Rawat Publications, 2010).

Conversion, Social Mobility and Empowerment – View from Below. Mumbai: Department of Sociology. Occasional Paper Series: 4.

2005
Communal Harmony, Secularism & Nation Building. Bangalore: NBCLC Publications.

2003
with P.G. Jogdand (eds). Globalization & Social Movements for Transformation. Delhi: Rawat Publications.

2000
with Leela D’Souza and Rowena Robinson (eds). Culture & Nationalism: Clarifying the Cultural Reality of India. Mumbai: Institute of Indian Culture.

1999
(ed.). Dalits in Modern India: Vision and Values. New Delhi: Vistaar Publications (also as: Untouchables: Dalits in Modern India. Lynne: Rienner Publishers [USA], 1999).

1998
Anthropology of Conversion. Mumbai: Institute of Indian Culture.

1989
Culture and urbanization. Delhi: Inter-India Publications.

1984
with Mahipal Bhuriya (eds). Anthropology as a Historical Science: Essays in Honour of Stephen Fuchs. Indore: Sat Prakashan.

1980
Cultural Context of Evangelization in India. Pune/Indore: Ishvani Kendra/Sat Prakashan.

2018
Inter-Relationship between Ecology and Culture for a Sustainable Development. Perspectives in Social work 33/3: 39-67. (College of Social work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai).

2017
Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Family Life in India: An Anthropological Analysis. In: CBCI Office of Justice, Peace and Development (ed.). National Symposium 2017 – Understanding Amoris Laetitia in the Indian Context. Mumbai: St. Pius X College, pp. 1-5.

Research Contribution of Institute of Indian Culture on People and Cultures of India. In: Janina Gomes (ed.). The Challenges of Catholic Education in India. Perspectives. Bangalore: Claretian Publications, pp. 169-184 (plus the “Foreword” to the book pp. 5-8).

2013
Religion and Social Communication in Changing Cultures of Asia: An Anthropological Perspective. Religion and Social Communication. Journal of the Asian Research Centre for Religion and Social Communication 2/2: 121-137.

(with Bernd Pflug). J.V. Ferreira and Integral Anthropology. Sociological Bulletin. Journal of the Indian Sociological Society. Special Issue: The Bombay School of Sociology: The Stalwarts and their Legacies. (ed. by N. Jayaram) 62/2: 269-287.

2011
Globalization and Culture: Solidarity with Social Movements for a Humane Society. In: Joy Thomas SVD, Victor Z. Sagayam SVD and Ronald D’Souza (eds). Promise of Indian Pluralism and Solidarity. Pune: Ishvani Kendra/ISPCK, pp. 106-117.

Anthropological Research in India: Contribution by SVD Scholars. In: Gautam K. Bera, Birinchi K. Medhi, R.P. Athparia, and K. Jose SVD (eds). Social Unrest and Peace Initiatives. Perspectives from North East India. Guwahati: EBH Publishers (India), pp. 45-61.

2010
Anthropology in India: Contributions of SVD scholars. In: Gautam Kumar Bera and K. Jose SVD (eds). Ethno-Social Mobility in North East India. Delhi: Abhijeet Publications, pp. 16-31.

Dalits’ Encounter with Christianity: Change and Continuity. In: Rowena Robinson and Joseph Marianus Kujur (eds). Margins of Faith. Dalit and Tribal Christianity in India. New Delhi: Sage Publications, pp. 51-74.

Nationalism, Indian. In: ACPI Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Vol. 2. Bangalore: Asia Trading Corporation, pp. 953-957.

2009
La violence contre les Chrétiens en Inde. Spiritus 194/mars: 7-16.

Implications of Karma and Rebirth for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in India. Ethics and Society. An International Journal (St. Andrew’s College) 1/1: 60-72.

Religious Conversion and Social Mobility in India. In: Ishwar Modi, B.K. Nagla and Arvind Kumar Agrawal (eds). Themes in Social Stratification and Mobility. Jaipur/Delhi: Rawat Publications, pp. 47-61.

2008
Violence against Christians in India. Verbum SVD 49/4: 462468.

2006
Exclusion and Inclusion in the Reservation Debate: The Dalit Christians’ Issue. The Little Magazine. Reservation. The Die is Caste 6/4-5: 72- 75.

Communal Harmony in the Context of Globalization and Fundamentalism. In: Kala Acharya and Lalita Namjoshi (eds). Tri-dal. A Trilateral Dialogue. Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Mumbai: Somaiya Publications, pp. 207-222.

Indian Nationalism and Cultural Minorities. In: Joseph Benjamin (ed.). Minorities in Indian Social System. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, pp. 174-205.

2005
Conversion, Empowerment and Social Transformation. In: S.M. Dahiwale (ed.). Understanding Indian Society. The Non-Brahmanic Perspective. Delhi: Rawat Publication, pp. 153-181.

Hinduism and Modernity. Debate on Cultural Nationalism in India. Third Millennium 8/1: 49-65.

2004
A Dialogue towards Ambedkar’s Vision of Modern India. In: T.K. John (ed.). Broken Among the Victims. Dalit Presence at the World Social Forum. New Delhi: Centre for Dalit/Subaltern Studies, pp. 34-66.

2002
Meaning and Significance of Feasts and Festivals in Human Society. Ishvani Documentation 20/3: 342-351.

2000
Stephen Fuchs SVD (1908-2000) Founder of the Institute of Indian Culture. Asian Folklore Studies 59/1: 141-145.

The Folly of Hindutva and the Spirit of Indian Nationalism. Indian Journal of Secularism 4/1: 42-60.

1999
Informed Choices. Conversions as a Human Rights Issue. Times of India, November 8: 12.

So did God Create Us: Debate between a Creationist and an Evolutionist. Gentleman, December: 76-80.

1998
Dynamics of Cross-Cultural Communication. Third Millennium, January: 64-73.

Culture, Religion & Politics in India: Rise of Hindu Cultural Nationalism. Vaiharai (The Dawn) 3/2: 65-83.

Beyond Ethnocentrism and Relativism. IMR (Shillong) 20/4: 5-11.

1997
Theoretical Issues in Social Movements. Journal of Dharma 22/1: 5-17.

1996
Dalit Vision of a Just Society in India. Vaiharai (The Dawn) 1/2: 105-122.

Demographic Profile of the Christian Population in India at the close of Second Millennium, Impact of Christianity in North East India, Joseph Puthenpurakal SDB, Sacred Heart Theological College, Shillong, pp. 386-408.

Culture and Politics in Modern India: The Rise of Hindutva and Dalit Forces. Journal of the Asiatic Society 38/1: 96-105.

Dalit Christians in India. Economic and Political Weekly 31/50: 3243-3244.

1996
Politicization of Ganapathi Cult. Social Compass 33/2-3: 185-197.

1995
The Emerging Dalit Consciousness. IMR 17/1: 5-13.

The Christian Population in India. The Examiner 7th October: 14-15.

Sociology of Religion in New Social Movements. EPW 4th November: 2800-2802.

The Role of Culture in Social Transformation. Caritas Bulletin No. 2: 35-39.

1993
India in 21st Century. IMR (Shillong) 1: 24-31.

1992
Tribal Culture and Women's Liberation. Jeevadhara January: 19-25.

1991
Poverty and Cultural Transformation. Ishvani Documentation January-April: 53-58.

Religion and Human Development. Perspectives in Social Work. (College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan), January-June: 2-8.

1990
Tribal Religions in Holistic Perspective. Christu Jyothi, September: 1-15.

Sociological Implications of Karma and Rebirth in India. Verbum SVD II: 27-42.

1985
The Fishermen of India. In: B. Gunda (ed.). The Fishing Culture of the World. Budapest: Akademiai Kiado, 651-675.

1983
The Origin of Ganapathi Cult. Asian Folklore Studies 43/1: 185-197.

1977
The Lord Ganapathi in the History of Pune. Poona Herald September 16.

Ganapathi as a Harvest God. Maharashtra Herald.

2004
Ramdas Lamb: Rapt in the Name: The Ramnamis, Ramnam, and Untouchable Religion in Central India. Asian Folklore Studies 63/1: 161-162.

2000
Peter L. Berger (ed.): The Desecularization of the World. Resurgent Religion and World Politics. Dharma Deepika No. 2-July-December: 86-87.

1999
Alan Dundes: Two Tales of Crow and Sparrow. A Freudian Folkloristic Essay on Caste and Untouchability. Asian Folklore Studies 58/1: 267-269.

1992
Pathak Bindeshwar: Road to Freedom. A Sociological Study on the Abolition of Scavenging in India. Anthropos 87: 617-18.

Lewis F. Carter: Chrisma and Control in Rajneeshpuram. The Role of Shared Values in the Creation of a Community. Anthropos 87: 570-71.

1991
S. C. Malik: Modern Civilization. A Crisis of Fragmentation. Anthropos 86: 283-284.

1990
Ronald P. Rohner and Majusri Chaki-Sircar: Women and Children in a Bengali Village. Anthropos 85: 265-266.

1987
Franklin Edgerton: The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus. The Elephant-Sport. (Matangalila) of Nilakantha. Asian Folklore Studies 46: 142-143.