By Matters India Reporter

New Delhi, Nov 27, 2022: Salesian Father Joseph Chittattukalam died of heart attack November 27 at New Delhi airport. He was 82.

“With deep sorrow, I inform you that Fr. Joseph Chittattukalam went to his heavenly abode early this morning (27.11.2022). He died of a heart attack in the Delhi Airport. He was traveling to Kolkata,” says a message released to the Salesians in India by their Delhi provincial Father Davis Maniparamben.

Narrating the circumstances of the sudden death, New Delhi Salesian provincial secretary Father P D Varghese said, “Fr Chittattukalam was traveling to Kolkata for a meeting of his alumni of Don Bosco Liluah where he was rector and principal from 1979 to 1985.”

Father Varghese further says that Father Chittattukalam “had already boarded the flight to Kolkata when he collapsed and was rushed to the airport hospital where he was declared brought dead.”

Currently his body is kept in the mortuary of Holy Family Hospital, Okhla.

His funeral is scheduled at 2 pm on November 30.

Bursar of Don Bosco Park Circus Father John Puthiyedathuchalil said Father Chittattukalam had informed his people that that he would reach Kolkata’s Don Bosco Park Circus by noon to attend a group gathering of Don Bosco Liluah Past Pupils and return to New Delhi on November 28.

Subrata Ganguly, one of his grief stricken students and CEO of Church Art Kolkata, told Matters India, “I am shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of our dear Fr C.A. Joseph. As usual, I had arranged a car to pick him up from the airport.”

Father Chittattukalam was one of the first Salesians of Kolkata province to complete Journalism and Communication studies from Xavier Institute of Mass Communications Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1978.

He was also the coordinator of centenary celebration of the archdiocese of Calcutta in 1986 during the tenure of Jesuit Cardinal Lawrence Trevor Picachy.

In 1997, when New Delhi was carved out of Calcutta province Father Chittattukalam joined the new province and served as the rector in New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Lucknow.