Father Poulose Mangai, a renowned professor of theology who worked among rickshaw pullers of Old Delhi area, died on March 26 after a brief hospitalization.
Father Mangai was a prolific writer and editor of Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflections, Asia’s top theological publication. He was 64.
Father Mangai had taught Pneumatology (study of the Holy Spirit) and Sikhism in Vidyajyoti for the past 20 years. He was planning to retire from teaching on turning 65 on September 15.

He was born on September 15, 1957, at Kalady in the southern Indian state of Kerala. He entered the Calcutta province of the Society of Jesus on June 26, 1987, and was ordained a priest on November 11, 1995.

Before joining the Jesuits he worked as a mathematics lecturer under the department of Collegiate Education of the Kerala government. He studied philosophy from Chennai’s Satyanilayam Institute and theology from Delhi’s Vidyajyoti where he later worked as a professor.

He had a doctorate from the Indian Institute of Spirituality under the St Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bangalore (now Bengaluru).

He was interested in religion, interfaith dialogue, theology, spirituality and people’s movement. He was the author of the book, “Spirituality of People’s Movement: A Christian Search in the Indian Context.” He had also written more than 150 articles.