Felix Raj

John Felix Raj, S.J. (born 1954) is the Vice Chancellor and a Professor of Economics at St. Xavier's University, Kolkata. His specialisation includes development economics, liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, public sector, disinvestment, spirituality, leadership skills and training. He received Ph.D. degree in Economics from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. He is the director of The Goethals Indian Library and Research Society.

Felix Raj

Fr. Felix Raj was appointed member of the West Bengal Education Commission by the Governor of West Bengal to prepare a Road Map / Vision Document for 2020 and 2030 for the state's education sector since 1 October 2013.[1]

In the year 2015, Father Raj had initiated two educational projects:, a campus of St. Xavier's College at St. Lawrence Higher Secondary School premises inaugurated 4 July 2015[2] and a new St. Xavier's College in Asansol inaugurated on 25 July 2015.[3]

Under Fr. Felix Raj’s committed leadership and democratic governance, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata secured the highest score of 3.77 CGPA out of 4 in the NAAC accreditation declared on 24 January 2017.[4]

Father Felix Raj S.J., the (then) principal of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata took over as the first Vice-Chancellor of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata with effect from 16 February 2017. He, however, continued holding the post as the Principal of the College as well as the V.C. of the University till 31 October 2017. The Act for setting up the St. Xavier's university, which is operational from 8 February, the date of notification by the Government of West Bengal, was unanimously passed by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on 15 December. Governor K.N. Tripathi gave his consent to the bill on 16 January.[5]

He is the recipient of:

  • Xavier Ratna Award for his outstanding contribution to Higher Education by Xavier Institute of Engineering, Mumbai January 2020
  • Hall of Fame Award presented by the Institute of Certified Management Accounts(ICMA), Australia on December 16, 2019
  • Educationist of the Year 2019 by Sankalp Education Award Forum, presented on September 1, 2019
  • Mother Teresa Ratna conferred by the International Mother Teresa Award Committee on August 26, 2019 at ICCR, in Kolkata
  • Nihil Ultra Award for Excellence 2018 conferred by St. Xavier's College, Kolkata [6]
  • Siksha Ratna Award by the Government of West Bengal on 5 September 2016 [7]
  • Banga Bibhushan Award by the government of West Bengal in 2014[8]
  • Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Memorial Award by West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education in 2013[9]
  • Lifetime Achievement Award by Core Sector Communiqué in 2011[10]
  • Mahdeolal Saraogi Award by Rotary Club of Kolkata in 2008[11]
  • First CAB Community Development Award by Catholic Association of Bengal in 2008[12]
  • Mother Teresa Millennium Award by Mother Teresa's International and Millennium Awards Committee in 2006[13]

Early life

Born in 1954 in Poolangudi, Ramnad District, Tamil Nadu, to Mr. S. A. Susai and Mrs Kitheriammal Susai, both teachers, Raj had his early education as virtue and vocation. He had his schooling at St. Michael's School, Sengudi and completed high school at St. Mary's Tuticorin (Thuthugudi), South India. He was School Pupils Leader (SPL) at St. Mary's. After his Pre University Studies in St. Joseph's College Trichy, he joined the Calcutta Province of the Society of Jesus, an International Religious Order in 1973. He went through his early Jesuit formation of Novitiate and Juniorate at Xavier Teacher Training Institute, Patna for three years.

Raj graduated with Economics from Loyola College, Chennai in 1980. During his studies at Chennai, he involved himself in the activities of All India Catholic University Federation, a University Student Movement. He represented the AICUF in the Conference of Asian Catholic Students Federation held in Penang in 1979. He has been active in this University Student Movement for more than 35 years. In 1989 he took over as the West Bengal State Adviser to the AICUF.

Raj completed his Masters in Economics at St. Joseph's College, Trichy in 1982. He secured the first rank and was awarded a gold medal. He completed his Philosophy studies from Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV), Pune in 1984 and joined the Department of Economics, St. Xavier's College, Kolktata as faculty. After two years, Raj studied a three-year Theology course from Vidya Jothi College, Delhi in 1989 and was ordained as a priest in Trichy on 23 April 1989. He rejoined the economics faculty of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata in 1989 where he served for 33 years as professor, Vice-Principal, Rector and Principal. He belongs to the Calcutta Province of the Society of Jesus and resides now at the Jesuit Community of the St. Xavier's University, New Town, Kolkata.

Raj is fluent in Tamil, Bengali, Hindi and English.

Service

Dr. Raj's dream of setting up of a Jesuit University became a reality when the SXUK Act 2016 was unanimously passed in the West Bengal Assembly in January 2017.[14] He was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of the University in February 2017.[15]

Book publications

Dr. Raj has authored and co-authored six books and has written numerous articles in journals, magazine and newspapers.

  1. Relevance of Christianity in India Today (ed.), (1986) Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune.
  2. Memories of a Movement – AICUF in West Bengal 1948–1996, (1996) AICUF Publications, Kolkata.
  3. Contemporary Development Economics from Adam Smith to Amartya Sen, (Felix Raj & others), (2006) New Central Book Agency Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, 2006.[16]
  4. Indian Economy – Economic Ideas, Development and Financial Reforms – Essays in honour of Prof. Raj Kumar Sen, (ed.), (2008), Deep and Deep Publications, New Delhi.[17]
  5. WTO and Asian Union – Ten Years of WTO, (ed.) (2009), Deep and Deep Publications, New Delhi.
  6. Disinvestment in India – Trends, Problems and Prospects, (2012), Regal Publishers, New Delhi.[18]
  7. Discovery of Bengal: The Jesuit Design, (2014), The Goethals Indian Library and Research Society.[19]
  8. Indian Economy – A Visionary Perspective, (ed.) (2015), Regal Publishers, New Delhi.[20]
  9. Emerging Issues on Inclusive Growth, Business and Environment, (ed.) (2016), Regal Publishers, New Delhi.[21]

See also

References
  1. Vivek Kumar (8 November 2013). "Education Commission of West Bengal – Revised" (Press release). West Bengal Government.
  2. "Xavier's adds BCom seats". The Telegraph. 11 June 2015.
  3. "Xavier's college in Asansol". 15 December 2014.
  4. of india.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/st-xaviers-scores-big-in-naac-test/articleshow/56766363.cms "St Xavier's scores big in NAAC test" Check |url= value (help). Times of India. 25 January 2017.
  5. "St. Xavier's University gets Vice-Chancellor".
  6. "St Xavier's VC gets Nihil Ultra award". The Telegraph. 17 January 2018.
  7. "Bengal gives Siksha Ratna awards on Teachers Day". India Today. 5 September 2016.
  8. "State government to confer Banga awards on May 20". The Hindu. 18 May 2014.
  9. Zaidul Haque (12 November 2013). "WB State Madrasa Board gives Maulana Azad and Rokeya awards". TwoCircles.net.
  10. Core Sector Communiqué Website
  11. Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Calcutta
  12. We Xaverians
  13. Fordham University, New York Webpage
  14. "West Bengal Assembly passes bill to set up St Xavier's University in Kolkata". The Indian Express. 17 December 2016.
  15. "Xavier's varsity gets vice-chancellor". The Telegraph. 16 February 2017.
  16. New Central Book Agency (P) Ltd. Website
  17. Deep & Deep Publications Pvt. Ltd
  18. Regal Publications Website
  19. "Anthology on Jesuit Fathers' contribution". The Telegraph. 29 December 2014.
  20. "Focus on economy". The Telegraph. 29 June 2015.
  21. "Emerging Issues On Inclusive Growth, Business And Environment". Regal Publications.
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