Punnathara Mar Dionysious (Mar Thoma XI) was the Malankara Metropolitan from 1817 to 1825. It was his suggestion during the time of Mar Thoma IX, to have the first education institution in Kerala, the Syrian seminary to be established at Kottayam. He also welcomed the first missionary teachers who arrived from England to teach in the Seminary. Reformation in the Malankara church became active during his period.