People in southern India are mourning the death of Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah in a condolence message described the archbishop as "a person who cared for the poor, downtrodden and championed their causes."

The 68-year-old archbishop died of cardiac arrest on Aug. 27. He had been suffering from cancer, diabetes and had undergone heart surgery in 2002.

The third archbishop of Hyderabad, based in the state capital, belonged to the dalit community (former “untouchables” in the Indian caste system).

Archbishop Joji was born in 1942 in Viajayawada and was ordained a priest there. He was also Bishop of Khammam and Vijayawada before heading Hyderabad archdiocese in 2000.

As the first to become an archbishop from the dalit community, he highlighted issues of dalit Christians and supported their demands for equal rights.

State Legislator Jayasudha Kapoor, a Catholic, said the archbishop inspired her to enter into politics. "He was there like a rock for me in times of difficulty. I am orphaned," she added.

The state unit of Conference of Religious India in a statement said the archbishop effectively led the Christians in the state and represented their problems to the government.

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