Felix Raj

Father Felix Raj, SJ

Principal, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata Rector: 1996–2002 Director GILRS: 1996–present Vice Principal: 1997–2009 Principal: 2009–present

John Felix Raj, S.J. (born 1954) is the principal and former rector of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. He also serves as a Professor of Economics in this institution. His specialization includes development economics, liberalization, privatization and globalization, public sector, disinvestment, spirituality, leadership skills and training. He received Ph.D. degree in Economics from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. He is currently the vice-president of Bengal Economic Association.

Raj has presented papers in many national and international conferences. Raj has lectured in many universities in Europe, U.S. and Canada. He is an educationist, associated with a number of NGOs and engaged in many philanthropic activities. Parivartan and Snegam, NGOs engaged in social and educational activities are his brainchildren. His initiative, "College to Village and Village to College" at St. Xavier's College, is a novel effort in education.

He is the director of The Goethals Indian Library and Research Society and the West Bengal state advisor to All Indian Catholic University Federation.

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.

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

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

Father Felix Raj, SJ, the principal of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata has taken over as the first Vice-Chancellor of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata with effect from February 16, 2017. The Act for setting up the university, which is operational from February 8, the date of notification by the Government of West Bengal, was unanimously passed by the Assembly on December 15. Governor K.N. Tripathi gave his consent to the bill on January 16.

He is the recipient of:

Born in 1954 in Poolangudi, Ramnad District, Tamil Nadu, to Mr. S. A. Susai and Mrs Kitheri Susai, both teachers, Raj had early exposure to education as virture 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.