Salesian College Sonada alumnus Fr N.T. Scaria Nedumattathil has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Prison Reforms with Compassion at the 15th International Human Rights Summit & Awards, held on International Human Rights Day at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi. The event was organised by the All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice. The Global Jury celebrated Fr Scaria’s three decades of transformative service among prisoners across West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar. His mission began in 1995 with a simple visit to the Berhampore Central Correctional Home, which ignited a lifelong ministry rooted in dignity and hope. Over the years, he established vocational training, legal aid, counselling, family support, and notably, the world’s first certified motor driving school inside a prison, enabling life convicts to earn licences and secure employment.
Under his leadership, the Don Bosco Prison Ministry evolved into a powerful movement of rehabilitation and reintegration, touching thousands of inmates and their families. Music, sports, theatre, and cultural programmes further helped inmates rediscover confidence and camaraderie. Fr Scaria has previously been recognised by the National Legal Services Authority (2006) and received the Pascual Chávez Award (2012) for innovative pastoral leadership. A documentary titled Joy Behind Bars (2022) captured his impact and shifted public attitudes toward prisoners. Now in his eighties, Fr Scaria attributes the recognition to collective effort, saying, “This is God’s work, carried out by many hands.” Calling prison ministry essential to the Salesian mission, he continues to inspire clergy, volunteers, and reformers to embrace justice with compassion.
