Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India

Christianity in the Indian subcontinent is as old as Christianity itself, although Christians have consistently remained a small minority within the broader population. This book delves into the encounters between Christianity and the Indian people across various historical periods, highlighting the exchange of knowledge and ideas.

This book examines the influence of Christianity on Indian society, focusing on the cultural, economic, and intellectual contributions of Christians across various domains--including education, healthcare, social services, economic development, the arts, architecture, languages, culture, politics, public administration, and the armed forces. The book examines key figures, organisations and institutions to trace the significant role Christians have played in the country’s freedom struggle, nation-building efforts, and social development, leaving a lasting impact on the shaping of modern India.

This book will be of interest to general readers and students and researchers of social science, religion, history, anthropology, sociology, and political science.

Lancy Lobo, a Jesuit, has served as the Director of the Centre for Social Studies, Surat, later was the founder and director of the Centre for Culture and Development, Vadodara. He was an International Visiting Fellow (Georgetown University, Washington, DC). He has authored, co-authored, and co-edited 30 books and scores of mimeographs and articles. Currently, he is Research Director at the Indian Social Institute, Delhi.
Denzil Fernandes, a Jesuit has served as the Executive Director of Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, and Editor of the quarterly social science journal Social Action from 2015 to 2023. From June 2024, he is serving as Professor at Indian Social Institute, Bengaluru. He was conferred the Delhi Minorities Commission Human Rights Award 2019 for his work on human, civil and minority rights in India.