Matters India reporter

Guwahati: Father Stanley Kozhichira of the archdiocese of Delhi has been elected president of the Indian wing of Signis (fire), a Catholic movement for professionals in communication media.

The movement’s general assembly held at Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati, on February 23 also elected Divine Word Father Norbert Herman as vice president, Father Victor Lobo as secretary-treasurer. It also elected Nirmal Raj and Daughter of St Paul Sister Joeyanna D’Souza as project screening committee members. They term of office for four years.

”I am a street theater artist and hence I make the decision collectively. It is a moment of joy to me. In the first time in the history of SIGNIS India we have Sister Joeyanna D’Souza, a woman to our team. We will give a new image to Signis India” Father Kozhichira told Matters India.

Six years ago, Father Kozhichira initiated the first digital Catholic Hindi Bible which can be obtained from the application titled Divya Vachan (divine word).

He won the prestigious Limca World Record in 2012 for his theatrical production Ars ke Krantibai, the cine drama based on the life of the St John Mary Vianny acted by priests.

Chaplain of Jesus Youth Delhi Father Kozhichira has conducted workshop in street theater for the past 22 years and produced documentaries and Tele films for Doordarshan.

Former Signis india team included President Sunil Lucas, Vice President Jesuit Father Ashok Vaghela, Scretray-treasurer Father Victor Vijay Lobo and two Project Screening Committee members Father Herman and Father Stephen Francis.

Earlier known as Unda / OCIC India since its inception in 1971, Signs India is the Indian Chapter of Signis World. It is recognized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and is spread out in twelve regions, as delineated by the conference. It has about 350 members. Each Regional SIGNIS Unit has its own administrative structure.

The movement is for those working in press, radio, television, cinema, video, media education, Internet and new technology. It has unites in more than 100 countries.

It was formed in 2001 by the merger of International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisual (OCIC) and International Catholic Association for Radio and Television (Unda). At its World Congress in Quebec in 2017, SIGNIS welcomed also former member organizations of the International Catholic Union of the Press.