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Recently, we—24 Jesuit tertians and instructors from St. Stanislaus College, Sitagarha—embarked on a pilgrimage to “Punyabhoomi” (Sacred Ground), the site of Fr. Anchanickal T. Thomas’s martyrdom in Jharkhand’s Karanpura Valley. This mineral-rich valley, long mined by NTPC and now Adani Corporation, is shrouded in coal dust. Visiting this sacred site, I was deeply moved by Fr. A. T. Thomas’s legacy—a Jesuit who sacrificed his life for justice. Fr. Arockia Sasi, S.J., of the Hazaribag province, shared Fr. Thomas’s story: from his humble Kerala roots to the forests of Hazaribag, his unwavering commitment to the marginalized Mahadalit communities reflected his compassionate yet resolute spirit against India’s deep-seated social injustices.Growing up in Kerala, Fr. A. T. witnessed widespread structural inequalities that fuelled his dedication to social justice. Joining the Hazaribag Jesuits, he was drawn to the struggles of the Mahadalit community, who endured cycles of debt and dependency under oppressive landlords and moneylenders. Fr. A. T. and his companions became voices for these marginalized communities, offering legal support to reclaim land, education for their children, and raising awareness of their rights. They inspired the Dalits to assert their dignity and claim their rightful place in society, challenging their bondage as landless laborers subjected to inhumane conditions.As their work gained traction, some of the exploiters found themse
Across 112 countries, 1.1 billion people live in acute multidimensional poverty, according to the 2024 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report. In India, a total of 234 million people live below the poverty line, the highest in the world, according to a report released by the United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.Multidimensional poverty was measured by constructing a deprivation profile for each household and person in it covering 10 indicators of health, education and standard of living. Here is another shocking news for India. In the 2024 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 105 out of the 127 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2024 GHI scores. With a score of 27.3 in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, India has a level of hunger that is serious.What exactly is causing poverty and hunger in India? We need to find an answer from the right perspective. One of the sensitive issues during the regime of every government has been black money. As usual, most of the politicians (except a few principled and clean ones) talk nonsense on this issue wherever they go. They keep making promises after promises and continue to fool the common people all the time. As long as there is a criminal-political-bureaucrats-rich people nexus in the country, none can solve the problem of the Black Money.The Indian deposits keep increasing every year. The second-best Russia has 4 times lesser deposit. USA does not seem to be eve
The recent news of Mount Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School in Cementnagar, Chandrapur, Maharashtra, losing its management to the Adani Foundation has shocked the local community. A lot of concerns and questions have been raised by the General Resolution dated September 27, which was made public a few days ago.Why, after more than 50 years of successful operation under the direction of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel, has the management of the school been abruptly and without explanation transferred to a corporate behemoth? Who made the proposal for this change, and what are the underlying reasons? What are the implications of this change for the school’s and the area’s educational system’s future? These are not only urgent concerns for the people involved in the school but also have wider ramifications for the dynamics of education, politics, and corporate power in India.The Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel and ACC, a well-known cement manufacturer, collaborated to create Mount Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School in 1972. ACC has a history of supporting infrastructure development and education in the communities surrounding its operations through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The school, which received funding from these CSR initiatives, soon gained a reputation for its rigorous academic programs and all-encompassing instruction.Mount Carmel Convent developed into one of the most pre
After landing at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport on September 1, I noticed several large red hoardings while traveling towards Kandi city in Sri Lanka.These posters prominently featured the striking image of a young man with a beard. The text on the hoardings was in Sinhala, which I couldn’t read, so I asked a Sri Lankan friend for clarification. He explained that the person on the hoardings was Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), a rising political figure in Sri Lanka.My friend gave me further insight into the political background of the NPP, explaining that the party is deeply rooted in Communist ideology, stemming from the pro-China faction of the Sri Lankan Communist Party. Anura Kumara Dissanayake began his political career with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), or People’s Liberation Front, which had been involved in several armed uprisings.Over time, the JVP’s political stance evolved significantly, and it was legalized in 1994, becoming part of the political mainstream by entering Parliament. Anura Kumara served as Minister of Agriculture in President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government in 2004 and rose to prominence as the JVP’s leader by 2014.In 2018, he formed the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, bringing together over two dozen small political groups, professionals, academics, and activists. I happened to witness one of the rallies organized by the NPP in Kandy, which was
As India is witnessing an upsurge of sexual abuses, we tend to think that we need to protect girls. Continuous advice is given to parents: “Protect your daughters.” In fact, this advice is not debated. But a spontaneous question arises: “Is it enough to protect our daughters?” At this introspective stage, I received a thought-provoking WhatsApp picture with a caption: “Educate your sons.”It is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that empowers them to realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.CSE presents sexuality with a positive approach, emphasizing values such as respect, inclusion, non-discrimination, equality, empathy, responsibility and reciprocity. It reinforces healthy and positive values about bodies, puberty, relationships, sex and family life.UNESCO believes that with CSE, young people learn to treat each other with respect and dignity from an early age and gain skills for better decision making, communications, and critical analysis. They learn they can talk to an adult they trust when they are confused about their bodies, relationships and values.They le
