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Welcome to the Pontifical Athenaeum, Jnana Deepa (JD) Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Pune! JD is not just a run-of-the-mill centre of religious studies. Still, it has a history going way back to 1893 when Pope Leo XIII decreed to start the ‘Papal Athenaeum’ in Kandy, Sri Lanka, administered by the Jesuits to cater to the religious formation of seminarians in South Asia.
Ever since, the Papal Athenaeum has grown from strength to strength. It was relocated to Pune in 1955, besides the De Nobili College, the Jesuit house of formation for scholastics. As a step towards inculturation, the Papal Athenaeum took the name ‘Jnana Deepa’ – meaning ‘Light of Wisdom’ – in 1973 to impart quality philosophical and theological education to students mainly from South Asia, including those from other countries.
Today, JD boasts of having around 650 students in the faculties of philosophy and theology at the baccalaureate, licentiate and doctoral levels.
There is marked diversity in the composition of the student body representing all three rites of India, spread over 123 dioceses, 59 women congregations and 50 men congregations. JD also has students from other countries. The faculty, too, comprises members of different congregations and dioceses with varied specialisations and competencies.
JD strives to equip its students to philosophise and theologise in the South Asian and global contexts to foster the Reign of God. Over the past decades, JD has trained church leaders – archbishops, bishops, superior generals, religious men and women, priests and others – to assume dynamic and prophetic leadership reins, thereby effectively serving church and society.
JD is blessed with a spacious and well-stocked library and a vast, green campus with residential facilities for both men and women at the Inigo Sadan (IS) and Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS), respectively.
Enrol in our various programmes and have a JD experience! It will make a world of difference in your life.
Prof. Dr. Francis Gonsalves, SJ
President, Pontifical Athenaeum,
Jnana Deepa Institute of Philosophy and Theology,