By Thomas Scaria
Bengaluru, Feb 26, 2022: A Carmelite of Mary Immaculate priest was on February 26 conferred the honorary title of Colonel Commandant by the federal Ministry of Defense.
Father Abraham Mani Vettiankal, who serve as the vice chancellor of the Christ University in Bengaluru is the first Indian Catholic priest to get the honor for his outstanding contributions to the promotion of National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme in the Christ University in the past decade.
The official piping was performed by Lt General Gurbirpal Singh, the director general of NCC at a ceremony conducted at the Parachute Regiment Training Center, Bengaluru, the capital of the southern India state of Karnataka.
Awarding this honor, Singh said the recognition was conferred to Father Abraham in recognition of being the first university in the country to introduce NCC as a credit course and for promoting its students to join the Indian Defense Service.
“The Christ University has promoted NCC as a priority program resulting its members joining the armed and paramilitary forces in significant numbers as well as for providing infrastructure and facilities for NCC training at the University Campus,” said the director general.
Father Vettiankal told Matters India that the recognition was for the Christ University and he received it on behalf of the deemed university.
“Over the past years, we have given top priority to prepare our students to the administrative or defense services, other than encouraging them to go abroad,” said the priest.
Only three universities have been selected for the honor this year, and the Christ University was the top among them in terms of promoting students to NCC and thereby to the Defense Ministry, the vice chancellor said.
The priest, who received the special dress code in Khakhi pants and shirt and ornamental signs, at the ceremony, said he had introduced compulsory village exposure and serving in rural areas for its students to form them as socially sensitive citizens.
Christ University has upheld the aims of the National Cadet Corps to develop character, commandership, discipline, leadership, secular outlook, adventure and the ideals of selfless service among the youth of the country.
The vice chancellor said its NCC wing has devotedly trained the cadets to imbibe and be a responsible citizen of the country which has been opened to both for male and female students.
Father Mathew Chandrankunnel, the former director of the Ecumenical Christian Center in Bengaluru, said Father Vettiankal deserves the honor as he has made remarkable contributions to the Defense Ministry by promoting hundreds of students to the service of the country.
CHRIST (Deemed to be University) was born out of the educational vision of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, an educationalist and social reformer of the nineteenth century in the southern Indian state of India. He founded Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, the first Catholic indigenous congregation in 1831 which manages the Christ University.
Established in 1969 as Christ College, the university undertook path-breaking initiatives in Indian higher education with the introduction of innovative and modern curricula, imparting holistic education. The University Grants Commission of India conferred autonomy to the college in 2004 and identified it as an institution with potential for Excellence in 2006.
One of the first institutions in India to be accredited in 1998 by the NAAC, Christ University has the top grade ‘A’ in the 4-point scale. It has more than 27,000 students pursuing various disciplines.
Congratulations Father Vettiankal
Dear Colonel
Heartiest Congratulations.
Well deserved.Proud of you.
God Bless You.
Lt Col Vipinagopal -Retd
Hearty congratulations to all
Congratulations Father May Good God guide you 🙏🏻
Congratulations Sir .
Congratulations VC Father Col
Abraham Mani Vettiankal for getting the Proud Rank in Indian Army!
Proud of you father. Congratulations.
Congratulations to you Col. Father!
All our priest running educational institutions enable students to become responsible citizens in some or the other ways. Their service should be recognized and they should be identified for such national honors !! Unfortunately ,they are targeted for conversion and nothing else !!!!
God bless!!
Heartiest Congratulations.
Heartiest Congratulations.
Lt Gen Dr Mohan Bhandari
Ex DG NCC
Congrats Father. May Almighty take you to Higher positions. PD Joseph, Retired Christ University Accounts Officer
It is wonderful to note that you are being honoured like your predecessor, Dr. Fr. Thomas C. Congratulations! Dear Fr. Abraham, all your CMI confreres are delighted at this great honour and indeed happy to understand that many students of NCC unit of Christ University join in the service of our Nation. Salutations to Christ University!🌸🙏🌸
Congratulations may God bless you Fr.
May the youth of India and Catholics may be inspired by you.
Dear Col Father Abraham, Heartiest congratulations to you on this well deserved distinction conferred upon you. It’s great honour for entire Christian Community. Hope other educationist will follow your path and take India forward as one of the best countries. Praying for your success in this new avatar. God bless. Major Praveen Shelley, War Veteran. Jodhpur
Congratulations Fr Colonel Dr Abraham. You are well deserved to be decorated as honourable Colonel rank of NCC. It’s very proud moment in the history of Christ University Bangalore. Great achievement. With this honour you have brought laurels to our University. Wish you and your team to continue the spirit of Education and inspire students to contribute in NATION BUILDING !!!.
Congratulations.. Accha.
As a preist You Have Achieved the Best Honour from the Government and Simultaneously Contribution to Society in Large.. .Wishes and prayers for Your Good Health. .Amen
Congratulations on great achievement and dedication to duty to Col father Abraham for his outstanding work towards nation building.
Hearty congratulations respected Acha. Always Stay Blessed.
Mary Joseph and family
Hearty Congratulations to Fr. Abraham Mani on being conferred either the singular honour. You have fine all of us proud in the Church. God grant you all the graces and blessings in your new avatar.
Br. Christopher Dawes- fsp. Brothers of St. Patrick, India
Congratulations and Best wishes. Jai Jawan jai Kisan.
Best Wishes for him to continue to be a Guiding Star for all other Catholic Priests to dedicate themselves in building up of prestigious secular states of Indian Nation
Congratulations to Fr. Col. Vettiangal on being conferred the army rank. Kudos to Christ deemed to be University. However, Fr. Vettiangal is not the the first Indian catholic priest to get this honour. The first VC Fr. Col. Thomas C Mathew was the first to receive this honour.
Congratulations to Christ University on this achievement!
The ultimate goal of education is to enable students to become “good and responsible citizens” and “men and women of characters”. It will be worth knowing how many “students of characters” has this University produced so far and what are those past students contributing to the “nation-building”? How many “enlightened leaders” have been “formed” by this University? Where are they?
The above questions are meant for “sincere introspection” not only for this University but also for every Christian educational institute in India.
A well deserved recognition. Congratulations. Incidentally the Indian army has provision for military chaplains depending on the regiment and percentage of Christians. However they get a subordinate rank which is why very few Catholic priests enroll, as in society or as principals they get to hobnob with superior officers.