Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805-1871), endearingly known as ‘Chavarayachan’, was born on 10th February 1805 at Kainakary in Alapuzha, Kerala. He was a revered priest, a great soul and socio-cultural activist, venerated as a Saint and social reformer who brought humanity into Kerala's brutal social order. At a time when untouchability was so widespread and education was the exclusive birthright of the upper castes, it was practically impossible for the children of the lower castes to get admitted to schools. He sought to bring about the reformation by issuing a decree that schools which provide education to all, regardless of caste or religion, be established beside the Catholic parishes. He is credited with foundations of two Congregations, a Sanskrit School, indigenous printing press, schools adjoined to every Church [Pallikoodam], boarding school attached to convents and women empowerment programmes. He paved the way for personal and societal transformation through the imparting of basic education to all by starting schools and other institutions. By starting a Sanskrit school, Chavara made sure that the marginalized members of society, especially those from the Dalit communities, had access to letters and culture that was considered the sole domain of the higher castes. In this context this paper highlighted the educational contributions of St. Chavara as ‘the Father of Literacy’ in Kerala