Malankara Orthodox School: History, Education, and Community Legacy

When you hear Malankara Orthodox School, a network of Christian educational institutions tied to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in India. Also known as Malankara Orthodox Syrian educational institutions, it refers to schools founded by the church to preserve faith, language, and cultural identity among Saint Thomas Christians. These aren’t just classrooms—they’re community anchors that have supported generations of Malayalee families, especially those who migrated from Kerala to cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in India with roots dating back to the apostle Thomas. Also known as Indian Orthodox Church, it established schools not just to teach math and science, but to pass down Syriac liturgy, Malayalam language, and centuries-old traditions. These schools often run alongside churches and are led by clergy or lay leaders deeply connected to the church hierarchy. Many were started in the 1900s to help migrant communities stay grounded. One key figure behind this movement was Mor Polycarpus Geevarghese, a bishop who built schools and orphanages for Malayalee migrants in Karnataka to protect their dignity and future. Also known as Bishop Polycarpus, his work turned education into a shield against cultural erosion.

These schools didn’t just serve students—they became hubs for families navigating life far from home. In cities where Malayalam wasn’t spoken, they offered Sunday classes, feast-day celebrations, and even job networks. The connection between education and faith here is real: students learned scripture alongside algebra, and parents trusted these institutions because they knew the teachers were part of the same community. Unlike modern private schools focused on rankings, Malankara Orthodox schools measured success by how well they held families together.

The legacy lives on. Today, alumni from these schools still gather for reunions, donate to maintain old buildings, and send their own kids to the same classrooms their grandparents attended. The Catholicos of India, the spiritual head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Also known as Malankara Metropolitan, he still oversees these institutions, approving budgets and appointing principals, keeping the mission alive. Even as India’s education system changes, these schools remain unique—small, quiet, and deeply rooted in a community that refuses to forget where it came from.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of school rankings or fee structures. It’s a collection of stories about people who built these schools, fought to keep them open, and passed down more than textbooks—they passed down belonging. You’ll read about bishops who led with quiet strength, families who traveled miles to enroll their children, and how education became the quiet revolution that kept a people whole.