Media Release

Bengaluru, Mar 1: His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr John Carvalho (55) of the clergy of the diocese of Ajmer, currently the principal of St Paul’s Sr Secondary School, Alwar Gate, Ajmer, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Ajmer in Rajasthan. This provision was made public on Saturday March 1.

Diocese of Ajmer became vacant by the resignation of bishop Pius Thomas D’Souza on June 1, 2024. Bishop Oswald Joseph Lewis bishop emeritus of Jaipur was appointed as the Apostolic administrator of Ajmer on March 23, 2024.

Fr John Carvalho was born on April 10, 1969 in the parish of St Philip Neri, Margoli, Basrur in the diocese of Udupi and was ordained a priest on May 13, 1996 for the diocese of Ajmer. He has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in social work. After his priestly ordination, he was assistant parish priest at St Paul’s Church, Kota (1996-1999); in-charge of St Theresa’s Church, Ladpura (1999-2001); director of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Social Work Centre, Ajmer (2001-2007); in-charge of St Martin of Tours Church and principal of St Martin’s School, Bhawanikhera (2010-2015); parish priest at St Paul’s Church and principal of St Paul’s Sr Sec School, Kota 2015-2020); Diocesan consultor (2013-2018); secretary of the commission for education (2022-2023) Since 2020.

The history of the diocese of Ajmer goes back to 1891. The Rajasthan mission established on in 1891. It was elevated Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana on May 22, 1913. On May 13, 1955, led to a change in the name of the diocese to Ajmer-Jaipur. The Ajmer diocese was bifurcated and created Jaipur on July 20, 2005. Currently the diocese has a Catholic population of 15, 000 and 104 diocesan priests.