Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Kolkata event honours four Clergymen

Matters India Reporter

Kolkata, September 9, 2022: At an event marking Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – 75 years of India’s independence – and Literacy Day, Church Art Kolkata honoured four clergy men for outstanding contribution to society along with several other eminent citizens.

The program was held at Indian Council for Cultural Relations Kolkata Satyajit Ray auditorium, September 8, 2022.

Church Art based out of Kolkata is a pan-India initiative with global linkages engaged in promoting education, art and Indian culture for the past 25 years under Shri Subrata Ganguly.

Besides achievers from different walks of life felicitated at the event, there were four clergy men and six high ranking officials of Eastern Railway Sealdah like Principal Chief Engineer, Divisional Railway Manager, Additional Divisional Railway Manager and Divisional Engineer Coordinator.

Speaking at the occasion, one of the achievers, President of the Press Club Kolkata Mr Snehasish Sur said, “September 8 is Mother Mary’s birthday and Literacy Day in which several priests and Railway officials are honoured, indicates education is carried forward through mothers, priests and technology.”

Among clergy achievers honoured were Salesian Bishop George Palliparambil of Miao diocese of Eastern Arunachal, Fr Sacria Nedumattathil of Don Bosco Human Resource Centre West Midnapore, Fr C.M. Paul, director of Radio Salesian Darjeeling and former director of Seva Kendra Kolkata Dr. (Fr.) Franklin Menezes.

Salesian College Sonada Alumnus of 1977 batch Bishop Palliparambil served Northeast India youth for some 50 years was honoured for his pioneering efforts for the empowerment of tribal people, especially through education of women and girls.

Bishop Palliparambil has been tirelessly working to preserve tribal dialects by codifying some of their languages into scripts. Besides supporting the continuity of tribal knowledge of medicines, he has also started modern educational institutes, hospitals and healthcare facilities in remote regions. He has inspired and influenced others to dedicate their lives for the cause of the local people.

1967 batch Octogenarian Salesian Fr Scaria founder director of Don Bosco Prison Ministry was felicitated for 25 years of efforts in re-skilling, release and rehabilitation of prisoners.

Some 25,000 prisoners have been the beneficiary of his vocational training programs in several prisons in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. The indirect beneficiaries numbering 45,000 approx. include family members – women and children – of the prisoners.

Fr Scaria is also credited to have established the only recognized Motor Driving School in a prison campus.

Senior journalist with Matters India and media practitioner Fr C.M. Paul founder director of first Nepali language Broadcasting community Radio from Darjeeling belongs to Salesian College Sonada 1975 batch.

Started broadcasting in 2016 under the aegis of Salesian College Sonada, Radio Salesian is the first college based community Radio of not only North Bengal but also of entire northeast India.

Former Professor at Morning Start College Kolkata, Fr Menezes during his tenure as Director of Seva Kendra – social service wing of Archdiocese of Kolkata – has reached out to hundreds of rural folk, especially women with sustainable livelihood, income generation schemes as well as educational and development projects.