Fr Dr M. D. Thomas is Founder Director of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and is deeply committed to ‘inclusive thinking for harmonious living’, which is the motto of the institute.
Born in Moolamattam, Idikki District, Kerala, on 01 June 1953, he is a native of God's own country. After his schooling, he spent his days outside Kerala for his studies and for his mission mostly in north India. He spent over 25 years in Delhi. He is a member of Missionaries of Saint Thomas (MST), ordained in 1979, as well.
Ph.D. in Hindi Literature from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, on a multi-faceted theme ‘Kabeer and Christian Thought’, he is a recognized scholar of religion, religions and harmony among religions. He has also specialized Hindustani classical music to Prathama, Madhyama and B. Mus. (7 years) levels. He is B. Th. in Christianity and comparative religion from Urban University, Rome, too.
His studies of Batchelor's and Master's in Hindi Literature from Vikram University, Ujjain, gave him a golden opportunity to interact and make friendship with people of all communities, especially that of other religions, ideologies and cultures, simultaneously with his studies. This background was a solid basis for envisioning his special mission of fostering cross-border relations through social engagement, national integration and communal harmony.
His Ph. D. research on a cross-disciplinary, cross-scriptural and cross-cultural theme involving Hindu, Muslim and Christian philosophies, served a solid ideological and visionary foundation for his inter-faith and social harmony mission, conceived in a universal and all-inclusive manner. His collaboration with Maitri Bhawan, the Jesuit inter-faith institute in Varanasi, gained him a lot of experience in the area in question, as well.
His presence and wide social engagement in Ujjain and Varanasi, two noted religio-cultural and historical cities, accorded him a good appetite for a multi-religious perspective. Besides, his life in Aligarh Muslim University for two years geared towards post-doctoral research gave him an opportunity to pick up Urdu fairly well and thus to enrich his Hindi in an Urdu-mixed way, as of the current times.
He deals profusely with themes like education, religions, cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, shared values, social ethics, communal harmony, human rights, national integration, religious harmony, social harmony, social wellbeing and spiritual orientation.
He has been pursuing the above mission for over four decades through writing articles and books; delivering lectures and messages; conducting courses and training programmes; preparing video messages for YouTube; engaging in social interactions; delivering views at TV channels, and the like, for the last over 45 years, in a general and particular way, as a life-time commitment, in the name of Jesus the Messiah.
Fr Dr Thomas worked as National Director/ Secretary at Commission for Religious Harmony (Inter-faith Relations) in the national office of the Catholic Christian community, CBCI Centre, New Delhi, for 9 years. He had then the credit of having had the best Commission in CBCI, thriving with a wide range of activities in the area of inter-faith relations, along with an inter-faith look and feel. Prior to the same, he was also Director of Institute of Religion and Culture (Inter-faith Relations), Diocese of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, for 5 years. He has the credit of engaging with this mission on the local, regional, national and international levels and thus gaining a comprehensive outlook to life.
While in office in CBCI as National Director/Secretary of the Commission for Interfaith Relations, he used to edit a half-yearly journal, multi-colour and bi-lingual, namely 'Fellowship'. Every number of the same used to carry articles on different aspects of religions, along with activities of the Commission at national, regional and local levels. The journal and the editor used to evolve in quality, along with every number of the journal. This was feedback from the readers.
Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, has been his brain child. It was launched in 2014. It has been spreading its activities in Delhi-NCR in a very special way, in North India in special and all over India in a general way. All the activities of the Institute have been an elaboration of its motto 'inclusive thinking for harmonious living'. As Founder Director of the same, he has been elaborating its activities in an intensive way, till 2026, and in a general way even still further.
The major multi-faith schemes undertaken by the Institute in partnership with Missio, Munich, have been mainly 'Processing Universal Values of Sacred Scriptures into poetry and music, in Hindi, for Promoting Harmony among Communities', 'Launching 'Harmony Study Circles' in 20 cities of the country (20 sessions) for Promoting Harmony among Communities', 'Promoting Inclusive Thinking among faith-based Communities for Social Harmony' (20 sessions), 'Engaging with Cross-Scriptural Values for Interfaith and Social Harmony' (20 sessions) and Addressing Social Concerns for Promoting Inter-faith Harmony'.
An outstanding contribution the Institute has made was a down-to-earth engagement with the civil society, men and women, old and young, professionals of all sectors like professors, engineers, advocates, social activists and religious leaders. Traditionally, inter-faith relations were highly confined to heads of religions. The Institute has the credit of taking the inter-faith perspective into the civil society, well, for the first time, in a major way. Round table conferences, seminars, webinars, social interaction with prominent citizens of all communities were some of the areas of activity, along with engaging with religious leaders.
The focus of the programmes and interaction was developing a secular and inclusive narrative, which is geared towards fraternity, equality, love and service, along with the mission of making a better country and society. The ultimate focus was making good human beings, with the quality of 'being humane'.
By way of publications, he has to his credit 12 books, nearly 450 articles and 2 music albums of his own composition. Delivering lectures, along with writing articles, was his passion. He got a wide spectrum of platforms for delivering lectures on diverse themes. It was his dream that the lectures should become articles and the articles should be published in journals and newspapers and eventually take the shape of books. Accordingly, his books number 12, edited volumes, collection of articles and original innovative volumes, well, all of them substantial volumes in different ways. They include sectors of philosophy, theology, missiology, literature, poetry and an all-inclusive thinking. All of them present different aspects of the interfaith mission, too.
His articles, both in English and Hindi, are well-researched, scholarly and rich with new insights. They were published in well-known national-international journals published by major congregations of the Christian community, like 'Vidyajyoti, Mission Today, Third Millennium, Journal of Indian Theology, Journal of Indian Spirituality, Dharma and Jeevadhara. Several articles were published in journals and books published by secular institutions, like Janata Weekly and World Focus, as well. Stretching out to religious, multi-religious and secular circles was an outstanding quality in his articles.
His books are ‘Kabeer aur Eesaayee Chintan’ (Social Implications of the Understanding of God in Kabeer and Christian Thought), ‘Moolya Bible Ke’ (1010 dohaas and 11 melodies / A Poetic (dohaa) and musical rendering of the Values of the Bible in Hindi / A new edition of the Bible altogether), ‘Desh Ek, Ek hein Hum Sab’ (poems on communal harmony and national integration by over 100 Hindi poets of the country), ‘Fellowship of Religions’ (A Mini Encyclopaedia on the Diverse Dimensions of All Religions), ‘Religion for Harmonious Living’, ‘Faith, Inter-faith and Spirituality’, ‘Mission Religious Harmony’, ‘Pursuing Harmony and Peace’ (10-yearly Souvenir of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies) and ‘Inter-faith Relations: A Christian Perspective’, 'Saamaajik Sarokaar kee Dishaaein' (Towards Social Engagement) and 'Messages for Human Solidarity' (Messages on Festivals of All Religions, Jayantees and Memories of Great Persons, National Days, International Days, and Linguistic, Literary, Scientific and Cultural Themes).
His music albums are ‘Samanvay Dhaaraa’ (Multi-faith Values) and ‘Moolya Bible Ke’ (Values of the Bible). The compositions are semi-classical, devotional and engaging, remarkably so. They are highly edifying, motivating and educative and therefore are highly relevant and suited for all communities.
His personal qualities include a deep sense of commitment, hard work, uprightness, a sense of responsibility and a fine ethical consciousness. His tuning with his heavenly Master, Jesus, stood in good stead all throughout his career as a batcher for life commitment to the society, as well as to Jesus. Very much tuned to a minimalistic philosophy of life, his simple life style has always been a strength in his life, as well.
His contribution includes lectures at over 100 universities and colleges, in Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, Hindi, Gandhian Studies, Peace Studies, Islamic Studies, Vedic Studies, and the like. He was also Examiner of Ph. D. candidates and visiting professor at a few universities on 'inter-faith themes'. He delivered special lectures at some 40 institutes of religion (mainly seminaries). He has also delivered lecture-series at one-day seminars for school teachers in some 40 cities of the country on 'education and social harmony', 'education and religious harmony' or 'education and national integration'.
Further, he had delivered some 80 keynote addresses at interfaith seminars at universities, civil and inter-faith platforms. He has delivered over 75 instances of views and interviews at TV channels. Overall, he has delivered some 1500 addresses on interfaith and civil platforms, as well as made nearly 2000 appearances on public platforms in total. Besides, he has been holding a membership of over 20 organizations of diverse character.
What’s more, he has a YouTube channel with over 150 video messages on festivals of all religions, jayantees (birthdays) and memories of great persons, national days, international days, along with interfaith, social, linguistic, literary, scientific and cultural themes. The link of the YouTube channel is ‘https://www.youtube.com/@mdthomas53’.
His lectures on 'Religious Harmony', 'Social Harmony', 'National Integration', 'Inter-faith Relations', and the like to various groups in universities, colleges and schools as well as on inter-faith platforms have been highly appraised. His articles and books also have been highly scholarly, substantial and loaded with a new and larger perspective. Taking 'religious harmony' as a mission, he has been arguing very powerfully, through his writings and lectures, in terms of a new and applied missiology (the science of the mission or commitment). Whatever that has been in his hands, he had a commitment to take it to the maximum perfection possible. That has been the secret of their effectiveness, too.
He was honoured with nearly 20 awards and certificates of honour and hundreds of mementos. They have been a standing proof for the recognition of his outstanding contribution to the society in the area of promoting cross-border relations, in the spirit of social fraternity and friendship. Without exaggeration it could be stated that securing a considerable space in the society, both civil and religious, has been a very heartening achievement in his life.
In sum, Fr Dr Thomas has been making his contribution to the making of a better society as well as country, playing the roles of a versatile thinker, scholar, professor, resource person, writer, litterateur, poet, editor, moderator, musician, religious leader, social activist, human rights promoter, spiritualist, and most of all, a 'harmony and peace' advocate.
The leading awards he has received are ‘Sahityik Kriti Sammaan’, ‘Swami Devanand Hindi Award’, 'Shantidoot Culture and Peace Award', ‘Communal Harmony Award’, ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, 'Himalay aur Hindustan Ratna Award', 'National Peace and Humanitarian Award 2021', ‘Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar Award’, ‘National Excellence Award’, 'Distinguished Service Award', ‘Icon of India -- 2013’, ‘Manav Bhushan Samman’, ‘Gagan Swar Ratna Shree Samaman’, 'Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Award' and ‘UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2021 Prize’.
His reputation has grown profusely to the digital world. He could be googled against his name in different ways, in the name of his books and articles and against the diverse dimensions of the expertise and contribution he has grown to.
The several certificates of honour and hundreds of mementos from significant institutions and organizations have been a recognition of his participation and contribution to the society in their conferences. They stand as a living proof to the fact that he has been well in touch with diverse organizations, institutions and persons.
For instance, his mobile contacts number above 6000 individuals and some 20 groups of above 250 numbers, with a total number of over 11000 contacts. His email data bank number above 30000, as well.
He has been well-connected with the larger society through 'WhatsApp', 'Twitter / X' (‘https://twitter.com/mdthomas53’), 'Facebook' (‘https://www.facebook.com/mdthomas53’), 'Email' (mdthomas53@gmail.com), 'Blog' (‘https://www.mdthomas.academia.edu’) and 'YouTube channel' (‘https://www.youtube.com/@mdthomas53’). Hundreds of his articles are uploaded in the 'academia.com' website (‘https://www.mdthomas.academia.edu’) and well as 'Blog' account. Over and above, he has two websites, his personal website (‘https://www.mdthomas.in’) and (o) and that of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies ('https://www.ihpsindia.org’). They are visited by thousands of persons across hundreds of countries, by individuals and institutions.
His contribution through Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, all throughout 12 years, has been highly qualitative, professional and special as regards promoting inter-faith relations and social harmony. In addition, his nearly 30 years of intensive mission of interfaith relations at local-regional and national levels has been substantially remarkable. The level of thinking that has been pioneered and fostered was comprehensive and was oriented to all-inclusively spiritual, so much so that the same has been pointing towards a perfect blend of human with divine.
Translating the vision of life into a mission of life was the natural drive of his commitment in life, in the name of Jesus. Mission-mindedness (commitment) gave him the stamina for a national and worldwide approach to life. The grounding of his life has been making a 'family' out of the nation and the larger society, of which God the Creator is the head, which is articulated in India as 'Vasidhaiv Kutumbakam'.
What's more, he has the satisfaction of having lived his life, to a great extent, and having contributed to the larger society in a considerably appreciable manner, of course in the given context. He cherishes the 'sense of fulfilment' in his life as a human-spiritual accomplishment. This is proved by his self-assessment between 60 to 80 percent in the ladder of life accomplishment. This fact is further certified by his perception of life 'as a journey from zero to hundred percent'. The higher the percentage, the higher the merit of the life lived, charged by a clearer conscience. May the same be an eternal offering to the divine!
Contact Details
Dr M. D. Thomas
Founder and Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies
Address: 102, Floor 1, Plot No 155, Pochanpur, Sector 23, Dwarka, New Delhi-110077
Websites: ‘https://www.mdthomas.in’ (p), ‘https://www.mdthomas.academia.edu’ (p)
and ‘https://www.ihpsindia.org’ (o)
Blog: ‘https://www.mdthomas.academia.edu’ (p)
YouTube: ‘https://www.youtube.com/@mdthomas53’ (p)
Twitter: ‘https://twitter.com/mdthomas53’ (p)
Facebook: ‘https://www.facebook.com/mdthomas53’ (p)
Email: ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’ (p), ‘ihps2014@gmail.com’ (o)
Telephone: 9810535378 (p)
बहु-आयामी विचारक, वक्ता, लेखक, प्रवक्ता, प्रोफ़ेसर, संगीत-रचयिता, धर्म-गुरु और समाज-सुधारक के रूप में जाने-माने डाॅ. एम. डी. थाॅमस सर्व-समावेशी सोच और सामाजिक तालमेल की ओर प्रतिबद्ध हैं। 1979 में कैथॅलिक गुरु (समाज की सेवा में आजीवन समर्पित) के रूप में दीक्षित होकर वे ‘सार्वभौमता’ का भाव लेकर जीवन जीने के प्रति समर्पित हैं।
विविध ईसाई परंपराओं में एकता बढ़ाना, सभी धार्मिक समुदायों में आपसी समझ और मैत्री कायम करना, सार्वभौम मूल्यों और मानव-कल्याण की भावना का प्रसार करते हुए शांति प्रक्रियाओं में लगे रहना आपके जीवन का विशिष्ट मिशन है।
केरल प्रांत के जिला इडिक्की और गाँव मूलमट्टम् में 1953 में जन्मे और मलयालम मूल के डाॅ. थाॅमस ने विक्रम विश्वविद्यालय, उज्जैन, से हिन्दी साहित्य (अंग्रेजी साहित्य और समाज शास्त्र भी) में बी.ए. और एम.ए. तथा काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय, वाराणसी, से पी.एच.डी. की उपाधियाँ प्राप्त की हैं।
आपने इंदिरा कला संगीत विश्वविद्यालय, खैरागढ़, से हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत में प्रथमा, मध्यमा और बी. म्यूज. (7 साल) तथा अर्बन विश्वविद्यालय, रोम, इटली, से ईसाई दर्शन और तुलनात्मक धर्म-दर्शन में बी.टीएच. की उपाधियाँ भी हासिल की हैं।
आपने ‘कबीर और ईसाई दर्शन में ईश्वर-परिकल्पना का सामाजिक आशय’ नामक अपने शोध-विषय के दोनों पहलुओं में तुलनात्मक परिप्रेक्ष्य को विकसित करने की विशिष्ट पहल की है। आपका विश्लेषण है कि ईश्वर के बारे में मनुष्य की धारणाएँ दोनों ही परंपराओं के सामाजिक जीवन को परिलक्षित करती हैं।
साथ ही, प्रस्तुत शोध-प्रबंध के जरिये आपने हिन्दू-मुस्लिम-ईसाई परंपराओं के तुलनात्मक विचार से उनमें आधारभूत तौर पर मौजूद वैचारिक, धार्मिक और सांस्कृतिक एकता को एक सार्वभौम मापदण्ड के रूप में प्रस्तुत भी की है। यह रचना अपनी किस्म की पहली रचना है जो देश की एकता तथा अखंडता के साथ-साथ सांप्रदायिक समरसता और सौहार्द को विभिन्न आयामों में प्रोत्साहित करती है।
हिन्दी अकादमी, दिल्ली, ने उपर्युक्त पुस्तक के लिए डाॅ. थाॅमस को ‘साहित्यिक कृति सम्मान 2003-2004’ से सम्मानित किया है। आप गैर-हिन्दी मूल से, खास-तौर से केरल और ईसाई मूल से, हिन्दी साहित्य के लिए योगदान हेतु सम्मानित किए जाने वाले पहले व्यक्ति हैं।
डाॅ. थाॅमस ने अब तक करीब 100 विश्वविद्यालयों और महाविद्यालयों, कुछ 50 ईसाई संस्थानों तथा हजारों राष्ट्रीय और अंतर्राष्ट्रीय सर्व धर्म और सामाजिक मंचों पर पिछले कुछ पच्चीस वर्षों से विविध विषयों पर व्याख्यान दिये आ रहे हैं। पुस्तकों, पत्र-पत्रिकाओं और समाचार पत्रों में हिन्दी और अंग्रेजी में अब तक आपके 300 से अधिक लेख प्रकाशित भी हो चुके हैं।
समाज में आपसी सदभाव, मैत्री, सहयोग, तालमेल तथा शांति बढ़ाने के विशिष्ट प्रयासों के लिए आप 18 प्रतिष्ठित साहित्यिक, सांस्कृतिक, सामाजिक और सर्व धर्म संस्थानों द्वारा अभिनंदित भी किये गये हैं। आप कुछ 20 साहित्यिक, कलात्मक, सांस्कृतिक, सामाजिक, धार्मिक और सर्व धर्म संगठनों के सदस्य हैं। आपने कुछ 21 भारतेतर देशों की 28 शैक्षिक-सांस्कृतिक यात्राएँ भी की हैं। अब तक आपने विविध जगहों पर 18 पद भी सँभाले हुए हैं।
आपके द्वारा स्वरबद्ध सार्वभौम आध्यात्मिक मूल्यों पर बने गीतों का एक आॅडियो-सीडी एलबम ‘समन्वय धारा’ लोकर्पित हो चुका है। सामाजिक और आध्यात्मिक समन्वय की भावना पर बनी हिन्दी के संत-कवियों की पंक्तियों पर आपके द्वारा स्वरबद्ध गीतों का दूसरा एलबम ‘समन्वय सरिता’ शीघ्र ही लोकार्पित हो रहा है।
भाषा, साहित्य, कला, संगीत, दर्शन, धर्म और संस्कृति में विशेष रुचि एवं हिन्दी साहित्य, संत काव्य, कबीर, सर्व धर्म समन्वय, हिन्दुस्तानी संगीत, अध्यात्म, सार्वभौम मूल्य, सामाजिक नैतिकता, राष्ट्रीय एकता, सामाजिक तालमेल, आदि विषयों में प्रावीण्य रखने वाले डाॅ. थाॅमस सांस्कृतिक समन्वय, सामाजिक सहयोग व राष्ट्र-निर्माण के प्रति विशेष समर्पित हैं। आप मानव अधिकार के साथ-साथ मानव कर्तव्य की वकालत में भी सक्रिय हैं।
आप कुछ विश्वविद्यालयों में धर्म, तुलनात्मक धर्म, सर्व धर्म समन्वय, सामाजिक समरसता, आदि बहुआयामी विषयों पर अतिथि प्रोफेसर, अकादमिक काउण्सिल और बोर्ड आॅफ स्टडीज़ के सदस्य, शोध मार्ग-दर्शक, शोध परीक्षक (शोध-प्रबंध के मूल्यांकन और मौखिकी) के रूप में मनोनीत और कार्यरत भी हैं।
डाॅ. थाॅमस 1995 से 2000 तक साम्प्रदायिक सद्भाव को बढ़ाने के लिए स्थापित ‘समन्वय धर्म और संस्कृति संस्थान, उज्जैन,’ के संस्थापक निदेशक रह चुके हैं। आप भारत के कैथॅलिक ईसाई समुदाय द्वारा संचालित ‘सर्व धर्म समन्वय आयोग, सी.बी.सी.आई., नयी दिल्ली,’ के राष्ट्रीय निदेशक के रूप में 2003 से 2011 तक नौ वर्षों के लिए कार्यरत रहे हैं। आप वैचारिक आदान-प्रदान, सर्व धर्म सोच व साझी संस्कृति की मानसिकता को बढ़ाने के लिये चलायी जा रही अर्ध-वार्षिक पत्रिका ‘फ़ेलोशिप’ के सम्पादक भी रहे हैं।
वर्तमान में डाॅ. थाॅमस ‘इंस्टिट्यूट आॅफ़ हारमनि एण्ड पीस स्टडीज़’, नयी दिल्ली, के संस्थापक निदेशक हैं। आप की कुछ अन्य प्रक्रियाधीन योजनाएँ हैं - सामाजिक तालमेल पर भारत के सन्त-कवियों के दर्शन पर लेखन, विविध धर्म-ग्रंथों और परंपराओं में निहित सार्वभौम मूल्यों पर गीत व संगीत-रचना तथा समन्वयवादी दर्शन से जुड़े मुद्दों पर हिन्दी और अंग्रेज़ी में पुस्तकें और लेख। समन्वय दर्शन आपकी जीवन-दृष्टि है। समन्वयमूलक समाज का सृजन आपका विशिष्ट मिशन है।