By Matters India Reporter

Tura: Father Battista Busolin, an Italian Salesian missionary who educated former Indian Speaker late Purno Agitok Sangma, died on December 24. He was 95.

Father Busolin was popularly known as the missionary of Garo Hills as he had worked only in the Garo-Khasi range of the Meghalaya state of northeastern India since his arrival in India in 1950. It is one of the wettest places in the world.

The death came at 7:40 am at Holy Cross Hospital in Tura, a major town in Garo Hills, where he was admitted on October 22. He was on oxygen from December 10, but conscious until the end, Salesian Father P D John, rector Don Bosco College Tura, told Matters India on December 25.

Fr. Busolin’s body was kept at Don Bosco Junior College campus for public homage. The funeral Mass is scheduled for 10:30 am on December 26 at Sacred Heart Shrine, Chandmari. He will be buried at Bosco Mount Cemetery, Rongkhon. All three places are in Tura.

Conrad K. Sangma, son of the late speaker, was among several politicians who visited the Italian missionary in the hospital.

Conrad, who now represents Garo Hills in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament), later tweeted: “Precious moments with Reverend Father Battista Busolin. Father Busolin had brought my Father, Late Shri P A Sangma from Chapahathi village to Tura to study when he was a little child. Our family always remembers Father Busolin in our prayers.”

Sangma, who died on March 4 this year aged 68, was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from May 25, 1996-March 23, 1998. He was also the Meghalaya chief minister from 1988 to 1990.

Sangma was among thousands of children the Italian missionary educated. “Many of them are now holding responsible positions in society,” Father John said.

According to him, Don Bosco College and Don Bosco College of Teacher Education in Tura are “monuments’ of Father Busolin’s vision and commitment to the development of the Church and society in Garo Hills.

He also added that the Italian missionary brought faith, hope and education to thousands of people in Garo Hills. He set up numerous schools, youth and health centers and dispensaries. He also sent several young people to become priests, nuns, and catechists.

The Italian priest also supported a local enclave for leprosy patients and their and their children.

“Fr. Busolin exuded happiness which was so contagious. He had been generous with God and God had been generous with him. He enjoyed good health and the many people who came to meet him daily were living monuments to this valiant missionary’s relentless efforts. He lived among the Garos whom he called ‘my beloved people.’” Father John recalled.

The nonagenarian priest died in the presence of Retired Bishop George Mamalassery of Tura, Father Januarius S. Sangma, vice provincial of the Salesian Province of Guwahati. Also present were Salesian Fathers John, George Plathottam, principal of Don Bosco College and Victor Gorla, parish priest of St. Luke’s Church.

Fr. Busolin was born on January 16, 1922, at Camposanpiero, Padua, Italy. He joined the Salesians in1940 and was ordained a priest nine years later. His superiors agreed to his desire and sent him to India as a missionary in 1950. Since then, he Garo Hills was his home.

Busolin’s first appointment was to Damra in 1950 as a substitute another Italian priest who had started that mission station.

He went to Baghmara in 1954 and worked there for two years. His next assignment was Tura where he worked for 15 years.

In 1971 he was sent to Rongjeng to open a new mission. After 19 years there, he came to Garobadha to work there until 1995. He then came to Rongkhon where he worked until final retirement in 2001. He spent his retirement at Don Bosco College Hostel, Tura.