Vishal Mangalwadi

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Vishal Mangalwadi (born 1949) is an Indian Christian philosopher, writer, lecturer, and social reformer.

Early life

Vishal was born in Chhattarpur (M.P.) India to Victor and Kusum Mangalwadi and grew up along with his six siblings in the states of UP and MP.

Education and career

Vishal Mangalwadi graduated from the University of Allahabad in 1969 and earned MA in Philosophy from the University of Indore in 1973. In 1974, Vishal co-founded The Theological Research and Communication Institute (TRACI) and began to develop his Master's thesis into his first book, The World of Gurus, published by Vikas Publishing House in 1977 and serialized in the weekly magazine, "Sunday".

In 1975 Vishal married his wife Ruth from Bareilly (UP), a graduate of Lucknow University (Uttar Pradesh) who returned to India after obtaining a Masters in Theology from Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL, USA). In 1976, Vishal and Ruth moved to his father's farm in Gatheora village in Chhatarpur District and founded a non-profit, the Association For Comprehensive Rural Assistance to serve the rural poor and transform their caste-based feudal social system. His work was opposed, violently resisted. In 1980 he was briefly incarcerated in Tikamgarh Jail where he began writing his second book, "Truth and Social Reform." During the anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, his organization was also burned down. From 1984-'87 Vishal served as the honorary Director of TRACI and published "Truth and Social Reform. In 1984 Vishal was appointed the Covenor of the Peasant's Commission of the Janata Party. In 1987 he initiated a national movement against the revival of Sati. From 1988 to 1994 Vishal served as an assistant to Kanshiram, the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party. From 1996 Vishal has been writing, lecturing and publishing around the world. In 2003, William Carey International University, Pasadena, CA honored him with a Doctorate in Laws. In 2009 he published the US edition of "Truth and Transformation" encouraging local churches around the world to double up as centers of learning and service, offering tuition-free, internet based college education. In 2010 a pilot project began in Indonesia. Vishal continues to travel around the world to promote this vision of Church-and-Internet Based Higher Education. He writes regularly for New Delhi-based bilingual monthly FORWARD Press.

Books published

  • The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization (2011)[1]
  • Truth and Transformation: A Manifesto for Ailing Nations (2009)[1]
  • Spirituality of Hate: A Futuristic Perspective on Indo-Pakistan Conflict (2002)
  • The Quest for Freedom and Dignity: Caste, Conversion, and Cultural Revolution (2001)
  • Burnt Alive: The Staines and the God They Loved — with Vijay Martis, M.B. Desai, Babu K. Verghese and Radha Samuel (2000)
  • Why Must You Convert? (1999)
  • Corruption Vs. True Spirituality — with Francis Schaeffer (1998)[1]
  • India: The Grand Experiment (1997)[1]
  • Missionary Conspiracy: Letters to a Postmodern Hindu (1996)[1]
  • What Liberates a Woman?: The Story of Pandita Ramabai — A Builder of Modern India —with Nicol McNicol (1996)
  • The Legacy of William Carey: A Model for the Transformation of a Culture —with Ruth Mangalwadi (1993)[1]
  • In Search of Self: Beyond the New Age; also titled When the New Age Gets Old: Looking for a Greater Spirituality (1992)[1]
  • Truth and Social Reform (1989)[1]
  • The World of Gurus (1977)[1]
  • Dear Rajan: Letters to a New Believer (1972)
  • William Carey and the regeneration of India(1977) with Ruth Mangalwadi and Darrow L. Miller[1]
  • Astrology (2002)
  • Why Are We Backward?: Exploring the Roots, Exploding the Myths, Embracing True Hope (2013)

Book reviews

The World of Gurus "This volume examines the social and historical background, the religious intellectual impulses, and the religious and cultural aspirations of humanity that have produced the institution of gurudom" - The Companion.[2]

References

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External links

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