Christ Academy Institute for Advanced Studies (CAIAS), founded in 2016, is managed by the Devamatha Educational Foundation, formed by the members of the Devamatha Province of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the first indigenous religious congregation in India.

The CMI congregation is the living embodiment of the dream and vision of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805–1871), a 19th-century educationist, social reformer, and visionary who revolutionised education and social transformation in Kerala. Born in Kainakary, Kerala, and ordained a priest in 1829, St. Chavara dedicated his life to the spiritual and educational upliftment of society, especially the marginalised.

In 1846, he established St. Joseph’s Press at Mannanam, near Kottayam, the first printing press founded by a Keralite without foreign assistance. From this press emerged Nasrani Deepika, the first Malayalam newspaper, which continues publication today as Deepika. The same year, he started a school at Mannanam, pioneering the concept of midday meals for students through his innovative Pidiyari (handful of rice) initiative, a practice later adopted by the Travancore rulers and eventually by the Indian government.

As the Vicar General of the Syrian Catholics, Saint Chavara issued a directive in 1864 to start a school with every church, ensuring that free education became accessible to all, leading to the popularisation of the term “Pallikudam” (school) in Kerala.

Alongside Fr. Palackal Thoma Malpan and Fr. Thoma Porukara, Saint Chavara founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) congregation — dedicated to education, spiritual renewal, and social progress. Recognising the importance of women’s education, he also founded the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC), the first religious congregation for women in India.

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara entered eternal rest on January 3, 1871, at Koonammavu, near Kochi. He was beatified on February 8, 1986, and canonised by Pope Francis on November 23, 2014, at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. To honour his immense contribution to education and social welfare, the Government of India released a postal stamp bearing his image in 1986.

Today, the CMI Congregation, with over 2,300 members, continues its legacy of service through educational, social, and healthcare initiatives across India and abroad.

Though CAIAS is a minority institution, it is committed to imparting quality education to all, without distinction of religion, caste, or creed. Rooted in the vision of St. Chavara, CAIAS strives to nurture intellectual growth, moral integrity, and social responsibility, embodying the timeless values of the CMI educational heritage.