Fr. Jayant was born in Mangalore on April 16th, 1950, to late Mr. and Mrs. Victor and Candida Tauro. He joined the Novitiate in Bangalore on June 19th, 1967. He earned a BA degree from Mysore University and went on to do his Philosophy in Shembaganur. He then did a year of regency in Trivandrum. He completed his theology in Pune and was ordained in Mangalore on April 24th, 1979. Immediately after his ordination, he was sent to Nagaland where he served as pastor. He then moved to Manipur where he spent several years serving in different capacities as pastor, principal and spiritual director. After a short stint in Meghalaya where he worked as socius to the novice master, he returned to Manipur as pastor in one of the interior missions of the Kohima Region. Owing to his weak lungs, he returned to Karnataka and joined the team at Fatima Retreat House, Mangalore, where he offered spiritual ministry till he breathed his last on September 8th, 2020.
Fr. Jayant came to the Northeast in the early 1980s when life wasn’t easy because of the burning insurgency problems. He took trouble to learn Manipuri language and used it effectively to bring Christ to many. In fact, he was the first Kohima Jesuit to learn a local language and use it for pastoral ministry. His simple yet, deep spirituality endeared him as spiritual director to many young seminarians and priests in the Archdiocese of Imphal. Fr. Jayant’s greatest gift was his humane way of relating with people, young or old, educated or illiterate. That is what made him a successful missionary, a much sought-after spiritual director and a successful pastor. He is indeed one of the unsung heroes of the Kohima Region who has left behind a rich legacy to his brother Jesuits.
- Anand Pereira, SJ
