William Robert Da Silva

Willie R D Silva is a scholar par excellence in coastal Karnataka.

He was born on 21 May 1945 at Parpale, in Karkala Taluk of Dakshina Kannada. His early studies were in his locality and thereafter he joined  St. Aloysius College High School, Mangalore, (1958-61). He did his University Diploma in Humanities, Philosophy, Theology, St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore, (1964, 1966 1970) A Certificate Course (Basic) in German, Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore, 1978; (Advanced) Hamburg University, Germany, 1979-80. Certificate course (Basic and Advanced) In French, Alliance Francaise, Bangalore, 1977-78.
(Advanced) Hamburg University, Germany, 1980. Magister Artium, (M A), Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Hamburg University, Germany, 1984. Philosophie Doctor, (PhD), Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Hamburg Univeristy, Germany, 1983.

He has been teaching at various institutions and in various capacities such as the Academy of Missions, Department of Evangelical Theology, University of Hamburg, Germany, (1979-1985, Lecturer in Sociology, Mangalore University, Konaje, 1985-1988, Reader in Sociology, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, 1988-1997, Guest Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Osnabruck, Germany, 1995-2003, Senior Professor, Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal University, 2003-5, Senior Professor, Christ University, Bangalore, 2005-2007, Visiting Professor, D J Academy of Design, Coimbatore, 2008 onwards, A Visiting Professor, Department of Development Studies, Kannada University, Hampi, August 2003, A Visiting Professor, Business Ethics, AIBA, St Aloysius College, Mangalore 2006-09, Senior Professor, Kuvempu University, Shimoga, 2009 onwards. He has been a visiting professor of Communication and Social Sciences at D J Academy of Design, Coimbatore, from 2008 onwards.

At Mangalore University, students used to refer to him as Walking Encyclopaedia. Recently he has been referred to as Noam Chomsky of the region by one of his scholar students in a public forum.