From a Sundargarh village to Bogotá, Dinesh Xalxo’s inspiring journey as a missionary

Rourkela: From a modest tribal village in Balishankara block of Sundargarh to the lecture halls of Bogotá in Colombia, Dinesh Xalxo has tread an extraordinary path shaped by faith, discipline and a deep sense of mission. Now a rector and professor at a seminary in the Colombian capital, the 42-year-old teaches spirituality and psychology while mentoring young priests from Colombia, Africa and Vietnam.A native of Rapat Jore village, Dinesh is the eldest of six siblings. His father served as a mission school teacher and his mother is a homemaker. After schooling, he completed +2 from Municipal College, Rourkela, pursued sociology at Loyola College, Chennai (2005), earned an MA in philosophy from Barkatullah University, Bhopal (2008), and later obtained an MSW from Indore School of Social Work (2012).His religious formation began in 1999 at Vidya Jyoti, Lungai Vedvyas, followed by juniorate training in Indore (2001-02). He professed his first vows in 2006, studied philosophy at Vidya Bhavan, Bhopal, completed his regency at Jan Vikas Centre, Indore, and pursued theology at Gyana Deep Vidyapeeth, Pune (2012–15). He professed his perpetual vows in 2015 and was ordained a priest on January 17, 2016, at St Joseph Catholic Church, Sika Jor.Sent on mission to South America, he arrived in Colombia on October 15, 2016, spending a year learning Spanish and familiarising himself with local culture across Bogotá, Cali and Planeta Rica. He served as assistant parish priest at St Peter Claver Parish, Planeta Rica (2018–22) before taking charge as rector and professor at St Joseph Freinademetz Formation House in 2023.Reflecting on his journey, Dinesh said: “Coming from a humble agricultural tribal family, no obstacle was big enough to stop me. Sincere dedication, hard work, discipline, determination and my spiritual life brought me to Colombia.”He added: “I have reached this state of life by God’s grace, single-minded determination and my love for the mission of Jesus.”Reflecting on his past, he said: “I feel immensely blessed and supported by many people of good heart. I find profound joy as a tribal missionary serving in a foreign land.”