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Welcome to the Sunil Abraham Project (TSAP). This space brings together notes, essays, research, and reflections on technology, policy, and society. It aims to make knowledge freely accessible, encourage collaborative learning, and preserve insights.
The project reflects years of engagement with digital rights, open technology, and social research in India and beyond. It seeks to connect individual thought with public understanding, bridging ideas across disciplines and communities.
Featured article
Rev. Athanasius Mathen Abraham Ayrookuzhiel (1933–1996) was an Indian theologian, priest, and scholar whose work bridged faith, culture, and social justice. Educated in philosophy and theology in Pune, Rome, and Oxford, he combined pastoral life with a deep interest in the moral and social struggles of ordinary people. His ministry in the Church of England and later in India reflected a conviction that religion must respond to the realities of oppression and inequality.
After returning to India, he joined the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society in Bangalore, where he became Associate Director. Working closely with theologian M. M. Thomas, he explored how Christian thought could engage with caste and class through the lived experiences of Dalit communities. His research on folk religion, ritual, and oral traditions offered new ways of understanding theology as a form of cultural expression and resistance.
Among his major works are The Sacred in Popular Hinduism, Swami Anand Thirth: Untouchability, Gandhian Solution on Trial, and the posthumous Essays on Dalits, Religion, and Liberation. Until his death in 1996, Ayrookuzhiel remained dedicated to a theology rooted in the struggles of the marginalised—a vision that continues to shape Indian Christian and social thought.
Read full article... Visit the portal...Sunil Abraham
Sunil Abraham (IAST: Sunīl Ābrahām; IPA: suːˈniːl ˈɑːbrəˌhɑːm, born 17 June 1973) is an Indian internet researcher, public policy advocate, and social entrepreneur known for his work at the intersection of technology, society, and governance.
Sunil is a co-founder and former executive director of the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), a Bangalore-based non-profit research organisation established in 2008 to explore the relationship between the internet and social change. CIS brings together scholars, technologists, and activists to study issues such as internet governance, privacy, accessibility, and freedom of expression.
In 1998, he co-founded Mahiti Infotech, a social enterprise designed to make technology affordable and effective for the voluntary sector through Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Under his leadership, Mahiti has supported hundreds of civil society organisations with digital tools, training, and open technology solutions.
His contributions extend to advising governments, UN agencies, and advocacy groups on open standards, internet policy, and digital rights. A frequent lecturer and writer, Sunil's work highlights issues of openness, equity, and accountability in technology. His lifelong mission remains to ensure that innovation strengthens democracy and social inclusion rather than deepening inequality.
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Aadhaar by Numbers
This talk explores Aadhaar from a technical angle. It examines how biometrics work as identification and authentication tools, looks at the UIDAI's claims of openness, and discusses alternative identity system designs that could offer the benefits of digital identity without the risks of centralised biometric databases.
Sunil posted this video on 𝕏 (then known as Twitter) on 17 October 2016 with the note: "Dear #FriendWithoutAadhaar — If you have an hour to waste. Please watch this:". It has remained pinned since then, as the debate around Aadhaar continues to be relevant and important.
Oxford MA Certificate — Athanasius Mathen Abraham Ayrookuzhiel (1974)
This University of Oxford Master of Arts certificate was awarded to Athanasius Mathen Abraham Ayrookuzhiel of Campion Hall on 2 May 1974, as recorded in the Register of the Ancient House of Congregation of Doctors and Regent Masters. Campion Hall is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford, historically associated with the Society of Jesus.
The certificate, formally attested on 4 December 1975 by the Assistant Registrar, is preserved as part of the family archive connected to Sunil Abraham.
Annual Report 2009–10: Front Cover
Front cover of the Centre for Internet and Society Annual Report 2009–10. Cover photograph by Michael Greenwood.
From the Newest Pages
In this section we feature selected newly created pages from across the site. For a complete list, see all newest pages.
Elonnai Hickok
Biography of Elonnai Hickok, technology policy researcher and digital rights specialist working on privacy, cybersecurity, surveillance, internet governance, and artificial intelligence.
Religions and the Aspirations of the People
An article by A. M. A. Ayrookuzhiel examining how religions can serve established power or the aspirations of poor, marginalised and oppressed people.
When the Virtual World Gets a Room
A The Hindu report on early Bangalore Wikipedia meetups hosted at the Centre for Internet and Society, documenting the early grassroots beginnings of the Wikimedia movement in India.
Open Source Cegah Pembajakan Dorong Kemandirian (Open Source Prevents Piracy, Drives Self-Reliance)
A KabarIndonesia report on the Global Conference on Open Source (GCOS) 2009 in Jakarta, featuring Sunil Abraham as the Indian speaker on making open source a driver for development.
With a Powerful Board and Loose Definitions, DNA Bill Is a Recipe for Disaster
A Citizen Matters op-ed by Sunil Abraham registering the Centre for Internet and Society's dissent over the January 2015 draft of the Human DNA Profiling Bill.
Aadhaar by Numbers
Transcript of Sunil Abraham's presentation on Aadhaar, examining biometrics, identification, authentication, surveillance and alternative approaches to digital identity.
Men and Gods in a Changing World (Book Review)
A book review by A. M. A. Ayrookuzhiel of Men and Gods in a Changing World by Judith M. Brown.
Conversion, Competition and Conflict (Book Review)
A book review by A. M. A. Ayrookuzhiel of Conversion, Competition and Conflict: Essays on the Role of Religion in Asia, edited by Dick Kooiman, Otto van der Muijzenberg and Peter van der Veer, published in Religion and Society in 1985.
Conversion and Social Equality in India (Book Review)
A book review by A. M. A. Ayrookuzhiel of Conversion and Social Equality in India: The London Missionary Society in South Travancore in the 19th Century by Dick Kooiman, published in Religion and Society in 1990.
Sadhus of India (Book Review)
A book review by A. M. A. Ayrookuzhiel of Sadhus of India by B. D. Tripathi, published in Religion and Society in 1978.
About
This project serves as a living documentation space for research, writing, and reflection. This is built to create, organise, and publish documentation in a structured yet flexible manner, enabling continuous learning and open exchange of ideas.
It aims to:
- Create and maintain documentation — capture insights, notes, essays, and drafts across themes and disciplines.
- Encourage knowledge sharing — make ideas accessible, referenceable, and adaptable for wider audiences.
- Support learning and reflection — develop patterns of learning, synthesis, and critical thought through open writing.
- Enable collaboration and contribution — allow others to engage with, remix, and build upon existing materials.
- Host brainstorming and ideation — serve as a space for developing and refining emerging ideas and projects.
This documentation evolves over time, not as a static archive, but as a continuous process of thinking, writing, and sharing.
Whether you are a researcher, student, practitioner, or reader exploring questions of openness, equity, and digital transformation, this documentation offers a growing archive of material to study, share, and build upon.
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Content are released under the Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence, unless otherwise stated. You are free to share and adapt this material with proper attribution.
📄 This page was created on 19 October 2025. You can view its history on GitHub, preview the fileTip: Press Alt+Shift+G, or inspect the . Last updated on 17 July 2026.