DVK Pontifical Athenaeum also known as Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy and Theology is an institution of higher learning established by the Syro-Malabar Catholic congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and is located in Bengaluru, India.^[1] It is a Pontifical Athenaeum^[2] with degree-granting authority validated by the Vatican,^[3] empowered to grant degrees, including Licentiate and Doctorate in Philosophy and Theology.

Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram was established at Dharmaram College,^[4] the Central Study House of the CMI, an indigenous religious congregation founded in 1831.^[5] The Study House which was founded in 1918 at Chethipuzha, Kerala was moved to Bangalore in 1957. On 8 December 1965, it became affiliated to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and was later given the charter to be recognised as a Pontifical Athenaeum, under the direction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Vatican, and is empowered to award academic degrees up to PhD in Philosophy and Theology, and Licentiate in Philosophy, Theology, Canon Law, and Formative Spirituality and Counselling.^[6]

Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) Pontifical Athenaeum hosts various specialist centres and institutes dedicated to theological, philosophical, and interdisciplinary studies. These centres facilitate research, academic collaboration, and specialised training, contributing to the institution’s mission of higher education and intellectual formation in philosophy, theology, and allied disciplines.

• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Philosophy
• Institute of Oriental Canon Law
• Institute of Formative Spirituality and Counselling

• Chavara Institute of Indian and Inter-Religious Studies (CIIS), Rome, Italy
• Chavara International Centre for Indian and Interreligious Studies (CICIIS), Sacramento, California, US

Following Institutes are affiliated to Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram

The Institute of Oriental Canon Law (IOCL) is aggregated to the Faculty of Eastern Canon Law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. IOCL offers three academic programmes: the Licentiate in Oriental Canon Law (LOCL), awarded by the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome; and the Diploma (DOCL) and Certificate (COCL) in Oriental Canon Law, issued by DVK. The LOCL degree qualifies graduates to pursue a doctorate, teach in major seminaries or faculties of theology, and hold ecclesiastical offices requiring expertise in Canon Law.^[7]

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK), Bangalore, India, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, facilitating academic collaboration between the institutions.^[8]

The first MoU was signed between the Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte (HIW), Faculty of Philosophy, KU Leuven, and the Faculty of Philosophy, DVK, on 23 May 2007, and was subsequently renewed in 2011, enabling the exchange of faculty and students based on mutual recognition of degrees.

Similarly, in May 2019, an MoU was signed between the Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven, and the Faculty of Theology, DVK, with the Rector and Dean of KU Leuven and the President and Dean of DVK as signatories. This agreement also allows for legitimate academic exchanges between the institutions.^[9]

Students who complete a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) have the option to obtain a Master of Arts (MA) in Christian Studies from Christ University through academic incorporation. Similarly, students pursuing a Bachelor of Philosophy (BPh) or Master of Philosophy (MPh) at DVK can opt for corresponding degrees at Christ University, allowing them to earn dual qualifications. This collaboration enhances academic flexibility, providing students with recognised degrees from both institutions.

Dharmaram Publications publishes books dealing with theological, scriptural and philosophical topics in Christian as well as non-Christian traditions. Dharmaram regularly publishes many academic journals including,

• Journal of Dharma: Dharmaram Journal of Religions and Philosophies
• Asian Horizons: Dharmaram Journal of Theology
• Vinayasadhana: Dharmaram Journal of Psycho-Spiritual Formation
• Iustitia: Dharmaram Journal of Canon Law
• Herald of the East: Dharmaram Journal of Chavara Studies

• Kurian Kachapally, Faculty of Philosophy.
• William Sweet
• Emmanuel Giles Pothanamuzhi, Past Rector
• Joseph Pathrapankal
• Virginia Rajakumari, SAB
• Mathew Chandrankunnel, Professor of Philosophy of Science
• Saju Chackalackal, Professor of Philosophy
• A. Mathias Mundadan, Past Rector
• Thomas Aykara, Rector

• Abraham V. M, Vice-chancellor of Christ University, Bangalore.
• Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, The Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
• Jose Nandhikkara, Professor of Philosophy
• Kurian Kachappilly, Professor of Philosophy
• Paul Poovathingal, Carnatic Artist
• Virginia Rajakumari, Biblical scholar, Congregation of Sisters of St. Anne, Bangalore (SAB)

1. Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram official website
2. Dharmaram Publications website