By C. M. Paul

Darjeeling, March 27, 2026: In Darjeeling’s misty tea gardens, where generations of workers once lived in silence and struggle, two missionary traditions — Jesuit and Salesian — quietly brewed a different harvest: hope.

At Singla Tea Estate, Jesuit Father K. L. George remembers parents who once had to be coaxed into sending their children to school; today, those same families proudly escort them to class.

In nearby Sonada, Salesian Brother P. A. Jose recalls youth rallies and women’s workshops that turned isolated villages into centers of learning and leadership. And in Balasan Valley, Sushna Subba describes Italian Salesian Father Luigi Jellici as a “walking Jesus,” whose simple greetings and scholarship programs lifted entire communities across faiths.

Together, these missions transformed tea workers from marginalized laborers into empowered citizens, proving that faith and education can change the destiny of the hills.

The stories were shared at the International Tea Conference hosted by Salesian College Autonomous Sonada, March 27–28, on “Darjeeling Tea: Leaf, Life & Legacy — A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Place, People, and Possibility.”

Jesuit Footprints in the Hills

The Jesuit presence in Darjeeling dates back to 1888, when Belgian Father Henri De Pelchin and five companions established St. Joseph’s School, North Point, Darjeeling. Their early focus was education and pastoral care, later extending to tribal workers in the Terai plains. St. Peter’s Parish at Gayaganga, founded in 1933, became the mother parish for the region, spawning at least 17 others.

Father George, Associate Professor of English at St. Joseph’s College, recalls Singla before the Jesuits and Congregation of Jesus (CJ Sisters) began their mission in 1991. “It was a spiritually absent community,” he says. “Alcoholism, gambling, and domestic violence were rampant. Parents had to be compelled to send children to school. Today, the same parents insist on admissions and personally escort their children daily. That is the most significant change.”

At Singla, CJ Sisters opened a school in 1991, with Prem Kumar Subba offering his house for classes. Sister Amalia pioneered adult literacy through night schools. Over three decades, the mission reduced caste discrimination, promoted women’s empowerment, introduced savings schemes, and encouraged skill development in tailoring, carpentry, mushroom cultivation, and bee farming. “We even distributed pigs and goats to the poor for income generation,” Father George notes.

Salesian Outreach: From Seminary to Social Action

Parallel to the Jesuit mission, the Salesians of Don Bosco established Salesian College Sonada in 1938. Initially a seminary, it transformed into a hub of community engagement from 1963 onward. “We moved from charity-based outreach to participatory and rights-based frameworks,” explains Brother Jose. “Our youth centers, vocational training, and Radio Salesian 90.8 FM — The Voice of the Hills became platforms for empowerment.”

By 2026, the college operates 24 youth centers in tea garden areas. These host leadership training, sports, cultural competitions, and annual youth fests that once drew Everest hero Tenzing Norgay. Outreach included repairing roads, supplying drinking water, and running milk-feeding programs for children. Health initiatives ranged from dispensaries and vaccination camps to anti-drug awareness and paramedical training.

Brother Jose highlights women’s empowerment programs: “We collaborated with Tea Promoters India and held workshops on healthcare, domestic violence, parenting, and self-help groups. In 2025 alone, nearly 300 women participated across multiple villages. Empowering women meant empowering entire families.”

Father Luigi Jellici: “Walking Jesus” of Balasan Valley

No account of Salesian impact is complete without Father Luigi Jellici, whose ministry in Balasan Valley transformed five Catholic families into more than 400 families across 14 mass centers. Sushna Subba, quoting retired Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta, calls him “a walking Jesus.” She explains: “He refused vehicles, preferring to walk to every village. His simplicity and humility won trust across religions. Hindus and Buddhists said he helped them become better Hindus and Buddhists.”

Father Luigi’s scholarship programs supported up to 1,200 students from tea gardens, many of whom now serve as teachers, healthcare workers, and leaders. His choirs gave dignity to liturgy, while catechism classes taught hygiene and prayer. “He believed in inculturation and dialogue,” Sushna Subba notes. “Non-Catholics adopted values of discipline, honesty, and social service. His legacy is an educated middle class emerging from tea garden communities.”

Transformation Beyond Tea

The combined impact of Jesuits and Salesians is visible in the lives of beneficiaries. From Singla alone, five girls joined religious life, five youngsters became government school teachers, and others excelled in higher education and professional careers. One became a Buddhist monk, reflecting the missions’ interfaith respect.

Brother Jose says: “Salesian College Sonada exemplifies integration of education with social commitment. Our motto, Flama Ardens et Lucens — Burning and Shining Flame — reflects our mission to light up communities.”

Sushna Subba concludes: “The tea gardens are no longer just sites of labor. They are sites of human dignity, cultural preservation, and social mobility. The Jesuit and Salesian missions show that faith and education together can transform marginalized communities.”

Replicable Model

Both missions stress replicability. The Singla model, with its emphasis on education, skill development, and family values, is proposed for all tea gardens of Darjeeling and the Terai. The Salesian model, with youth centers, vocational training, and community radio, offers higher education institutions a blueprint for integrating academic excellence with social responsibility.

As Darjeeling tea continues to enchant the world, its workers now carry stories of resilience and renewal. The Jesuits and Salesians have brewed not just tea, but hope — steeped in faith, education, and service.