Dr. Mathew Joseph Kanamala Born in 1970 to Joseph and Aliyamma of Thundathil family of Kanamala near Erumely. He is a professional social worker and counsellor with 25 years of experience. Currently he is working as the Head, Department of Social Work , St. Joseph’s College, Moolamattom, Mahatma Gandhi University, Director, Institute  for Person Centered Approaches in India(IPCAI)and the  Honorary Guest Faculty member and  Coordinator Certificate Course in Counselling in the Department of Life Long Learning and Extension, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. Also he is the founder and coordinator, Certificate Course in Counseling, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam.

He got his PhD in Dementia subject  from Mahatma Gandhi University , Master of Arts in Gandhian Thought from Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu , MSc. in Counselling Psychology from Martian Luther Christian University, Meghalaya, Shillong, Post Graduate Diploma in Addiction Counseling from Christian Medical Association of India , Post graduate diploma in Dementia studies from University of Sterling, UK, Diploma in Addiction Counseling & Psychotherapy (TRADA) and  Diploma in Advanced Psychotherapy and Counseling, TRADA & American Counselors Association. 

International Participations and Paper presentations
 Represented Indian In WHO International conference , Kuwait (Paper presentation) 1998, ARDSI Exchange Program, London, 2001, ARDSI Exchange Program, London, 2003,ARDSI Exchange programme, Sri Lanka, 2004, ARDSI International Conference Taiwan, 2008, ARDSI International Conference Singapore,2009,PersonCentered Approaches Programs, UK,(2005,2007, 2009,2010,2011,2012,2018) Person Centered Approach Program, Malaysia, 2014, Motivational Speaker in Kuwait, Dubai, Qatar and UK .

Awards 
He got many awards such as Best Social Worker, 2004, Kerala State Youth Welfare Board, Mahatma Gandhi University Gramavikas Award, 2005, UK International Award for Creative Work in Person Centered Approaches by Dimensions, UK and Commonwealth Scholarship Winner from India for Studying M.Sc. Dementia Care in the University of Sterling.

He worked as the Secretary and National Governing Board member of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), Kottayam chapter for 15 years during which the Best Chapter award was given to Kottayam.

He has attended several national and international conferences on dementia in India and abroad. Since he has been visiting the UK for studying the new concept known as Person Centred Approaches (PCA) with the support of Helen Sanderson associates. With the help of HSA he has established The Institute for Person Centred Approaches in India (IPCAI) and now its director. 

He is an author of a book “Dementia Care: A journey to Restoration” (2015). His 15 papers published in various national and International Journals.