Jesuit priest Fr. Melwin J. Pinto, SJ, who served Vatican Radio for many years, passed away at the age of 63 due to cardiac complications in Mangaluru, India, on April 10th.
By Msgr. Luka Jogy Vadakar Fr. Melwin J. Pinto, SJ, Pro-Chancellor of St. Aloysius University, Rector of St. Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), passed away at the age of 63 due to cardiac complications in Mangaluru, India, on April 10, 2026. He also served Vatican Radio from 2012 to 2017. The Jesuit Society and those who knew Fr. Pinto remember him as a leader who combined professional excellence with kindness. Remembered as an intelligent, capable, and humble priest, Fr. Pinto served Jesuit educational institutions in Mangaluru for many years. Most recently, he served as Pro-Chancellor of St. Aloysius University, Rector of St. Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES). Fr. Pinto’s funeral will take place on Monday, April 13, in the evening at the Jesuit Cemetery in Mangaluru, following public viewing at St. Aloysius College from 10:00 to 14:00, and from 14:30 to 15:30 at Divine Mercy Church, Fatima Retreat House, where the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 15:30. Fr. Pinto served Vatican Radio from 2012 to 2017, working at the English desk for Asia and later as head of the Indian-language sections. He is remembered for his dedication and efficiency. Born in 1963, he completed his school and college education at St. Aloysius Institutions in Mangaluru. He obtained a Master’s degree in English and a Master’s in Education, along with diplomas in psychology, counselling, and school administration. He joined the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981, and was ordained a priest on April 14, 1997. He served as headmaster at St. Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan from 1996 to 1999, and later founded St. Joseph’s Indian Pre-University College, where he served as principal until 2007. He also worked as headmaster of St. Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011. After his service at Vatican Radio, he was appointed superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia, where he served for two years before becoming superior of the Jesuit study house “Vidyaniketan” in Dharwad, India. Due to heart-related issues, he was admitted to hospital, where he underwent an angioplasty procedure. Later, complications arose, including a blood clot in the brain and a brain haemorrhage, requiring emergency surgery. He passed away on Friday, April 10, 2026.