Bengaluru: Rev. Fr. Dr. Alphonsus D’Souza SJ of the Jesuit province of Kohima passed away this morning after a brief illness.  He was 78. The funeral will be held at 10 AM on Sunday, September 8 at the Jesuit Novitiate, at Shillong, Meghalaya. 

Fr. Alphonsus has been influential in his life, both as a Priest and an Educator. In 1972 he set up the Department of Social Sciences at St Aloysius College, Mangalore. He moved to St Joseph’s College, Jakama, Nagaland in 1994, where he set up the Sociology Department. Fr Alphonsus D’Souza is considered the ‘Father of Sociology’ in Nagaland. At the time of his death, he was Professor Emeritus, Dept of Sociology, St Joseph’s College. During the last decade, he has been a part of the North-Eastern 9Social Research Center, Guwahati with the designation Senior Research Fellow.

Fr. Alphonsus D’Souza was born in Kolambe, (Dakshina Kannada Dt, Karnataka), and did his studies at Bajpe till 1957. Thereafter he transferred to Calicut and Bangalore for further studies. Besides holding degrees in Philosophy from Italy and an MA in Sociology from the Karnatak University, Dharwad, Rev. Dr. Alphonsus D’Souza also obtained his M. Phil and Ph.D. in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University in 1994.

He has held many teaching and administrative positions in the Education sector including Vice-Principal, St Aloysius College, 1973-1979, Vice-Principal, St Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Nagaland, 1995-1999, Acting Principal, St Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Nagaland, 1999-2000, Professor & Head, Dept of Sociology, St Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Nagaland, 1995- 2007, Professor Emeritus, St Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Nagaland, 2007 – Until his death), Associate Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre, Guwahati. 1997-2012, and Visiting Professor,  Dept of Sociology & Anthropology & Sociology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. 2006.

He was a member of several professional organizations related to Sociology and has published more than 15 research papers.