Dr. Manoj Thirupal (he/him) is a scholar-activist in communication and organizational leadership whose research develops Caste Mindset Theory and advances justice-centered leadership. Born and raised in the slums of Chennai, India, as a member of the historically oppressed Dalit community marginalized under India’s caste system, his lived experience shapes his calling to teach, research, and serve in higher education. His scholarship uses narrative inquiry to examine deeply embedded social and psychological structures, which he describes as “marrow in the bone,” that sustain systemic caste inequality and caste-like hierarchies in society, influencing how individuals experience identity, belonging, and leadership. He also integrates Change Talk Leadership, grounded in Motivational Interviewing, to help people surface strengths, heal from oppression, and lead with dignity and wisdom. Beyond academia, he supports rural Dalit women in pursuing higher education to break traditional gender norms, coaches Afghan refugee youth in Spokane through the sport of cricket to foster belonging, and has initiated efforts to unite diverse cricket players across Eastern Washington in building solidarity beyond rivalry. He also maintains strong connections with the local Jesuit community, where values of justice, service, and reflective leadership guide his work at Gonzaga University and in Spokane communities, which he gratefully calls home, finding both community and purpose in service.
Dr. Thirupal finds joy in playing cricket, writing narrative poetry, and spending time with his dog Samosa. He jokes that rewatching My Cousin Vinny more than seventy times has become a quiet ritual of joy, though his greatest happiness comes from the laughter of his newborn twins—a reminder that love and joy are the deepest forms of wisdom.
