Jerome Xavier, S.J, led one of the Jesuit Mughal Missions in the imperial court of Emperor Akbar from 1579 to 1582. The Jesuits first came to Jaipur in 1729 at the invitation of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in order to facilitate the setting up of an Astronomical Observatory. Ignatius O F M. Cap started the St. Mary’s School at Ghat Gate at the initiative of the Bishop of Ajmer. At the 400th annive
rsary year of St. Francis Xavier‘s arrival to India, the Jesuits, at the request of the Ajmer Bishop and Mirza Ismail the then Prime Minister of Jaipur took over the St. Mary’s School. It was shifted to the present site in 1945 and named St. Xavier’s School. The school has trained thousands of students who are holding key positions in every walk of life in Rajasthan, India and Abroad. The Jaipur Xavier Educational Association (J. E. A.) was established in 1950, as a trust managed by the Jesuits. In 2006 the Xavier Vocational Institute (X. V. I.) was started in Jaipur to give vocational training to the weaker sections of the society. In 2010 the J.X.E.A in collaboration with the Xavier Alumni/ae and the well-wishers of Jaipur took the lead in initiating the Higher Education Program by starting the St. Xavier’s College, Jaipur. St. Xavier’s College, Jaipur, is affiliated to the University of Rajasthan. It is established and maintained by the members of the Delhi Province of the Society of Jesus.
