News & Events

North East based tour operator bags National Tourism Award

International Pilgrimage Revolution (IPR) a North East based tour operator bagged National Tourism Award for the Best Inbound Tour Operator category at the World Tourism Day celebrations in New Delhi on 27 September 2019. Receiving the award on behalf of IPR, Rev. Fr. Tomy Joseph, a Catholic Priest based in Miao Diocese of Arunachal Pradesh, said this award will give the entire North East region some much-needed visibility. “North East region has a huge tourism scope. Sparing a few places, the region has not found a place in the wish list of the tourists. We hope this award will attract more tourists to the region and IPR can facilitate them for a hassle-free visit”. Fr. Joseph received the award from Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel in the presence of Secretary-General of World Tourism Organisation Zurab Pololikashvili. Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese, who was instrumental in bringing IPR to North East region, too expressed joy over the award. “Each State in the North East Region has its unique and identity and beauty. It has every feature to become a tourist’s delight. This award will go a long way in capturing the attention of the tourists across the world”, said the Salesian prelate. In its first move to promote tourism in the region, IPR brought a group of 13 Germans for a week-long trip to the North East. They visited Kaziranga National Park, Majuli Island, Sibsagar Rang Ghar, Namsai Golden Pagoda, Miao Tibetan Settlement, Jairampur World War Cemetery and Namdapha National Park from 22 to 27 September. “It is the first time we have experienced such a beautiful culture, traditional houses and food”, said Mr. Hild who visited India for the fourth time. “This is an overwhelming experience and totally different”, said Ms. Eisenreich who visited India for the sixth time. A North East based operator winning National Tourism Award and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu taking a tough stance on promotion of tourism in the State augurs well for the scope of tourism in the...

Seva Kendra Arunachal East (SKAE) participated in the mega event conducted across India by Earth Day Network with awareness session on waste management and plantation and cleanliness drive in Namphai town of Changlang district on 20 September. SKAE, the social service wing of Miao Diocese in east Arunachal Pradesh, brought together student community, self-help groups, youth, women association and public leaders from around Changlang district at Govt. Higher Secondary School, Namphai to spread awareness on environment protection to participate in the mega event held across India on the same day. Speaking at the awareness session, Chief Guest Apolo James Lungphi, Extra Additional Commissioner for Miao and Vijaynagar sub-divisions of Changlang districted, highlighted the critical situation of the environment across the globe. “This is the time to act”, he said. “With the Amazon Forest on fire for the past few weeks, it is everyone’s duty to do his or her bit to protect and promote the environment”. Around 200 people participated in the awareness event that discussed on water and air pollution, waste management, the threat plastic use poses to the environment and alternative solutions to plastic use. The Circle Range Forest Officer Tage Mali advocated for the inclusion of tree plantation in the academic curriculum for the students to encourage them plant more trees. “Planting trees around is a major step towards the promotion of the environment. Every school in the district should make it mandatory for the students to plant trees to get promoted”, he said. Speaking on behalf of the Arunachal Pradesh Women Welfare Society and the Self Help Groups, Mrs. Nganpa Mossang expressed her gratitude to SKAE and Caritas India, the sponsor of the event for spreading awareness among the youth group and student community. Fr. Edvin Prabhu too spoke on behalf of the SKAE. The mega event ended with planting saplings and cleaning the market area of Namphai town by the...

The Canonization process of the French Missionaries, Fathers Nicolas Michael Krick and Augustin-Etienne Bourry, who were martyred in Arunachal Pradesh 165 years ago, gained momentum with the constitution and inauguration of the Diocesan Board of Inquiry at St. Peter’s Church, Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh on 14 September 2019. In the presence of Priests, Women Religious and a large number of people from around eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh, the new members of the Diocesan Board of Inquiry took oath to discharge their duties faithfully according to the norms of the Church, during a solemn Eucharistic celebration at the Catholic Church in the capital town of Lohit District. The work of the beatification of the two French Missionaries belonging to the France’s Societe des Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP) or the Society of the Parish Foreign Missions is actively promoted by the Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese. The two French missionaries were killed by Mishmi Chief of Somme village, bordering China, on their way to Tibet in the year 1854. After receiving a favourable opinion of the North East Regional Bishops’ Council, Bishop George obtained Nihil Obstat from the Congregation for the Cause of the Saints. He then appointed a Historical Commission to collect all the works of these two Servants of God and also a report of the same commission, appointed Theological censors who made a study on the available resources and affirmed the orthodoxy of their writings without any error in faith and morals. “Today is an important event of the Church in Arunachal Pradesh”, Bishop George said at the beginning of a solemn Eucharistic celebration. “With the constitution of the Diocesan Board of Inquiry today, we enter into the second stage of our efforts to bring these two holy men on their way Sainthood”. “As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Cross today, we pray that the work we undertake for these two holy men, who shed their blood on our soil, will soon bear fruit”, he said. The new Diocesan Board of Inquiry consisted of the Diocesan Bishop, Postulator for the Cause of Canonization, an Episcopal delegate, a Promoter of Justice, Notary and copyist. Bishop George has appointed Rev. Fr. Dr. Antonysamy Savarimuthu, Director, Centre of Canon Law Studies, Bangalore, as Postulator, Fr. Tomy Joseph, Episcopal Delegate, Fr. Joy Manickathan, Promoter of Justice, Sr. Sunita Parmar and Fr. Felix Anthony, Notaries and Frs. Joseph P. Xavier and Subhash Michal as copyists. The people of Tezu, a Mishmi tribe town expressed joy at the new impetus the process of Canonization has gained. Mrs. Catherine Boo, an illustrious catholic from the town said “We are very happy to see the progress with the process of Canonization. We pray that this day will remove the blot of stains we have acquired because of the killing by own tribe’s man 165 years ago. The new Board of Inquiry also received depositions from three witnesses during the Holy Mass, who obtained spiritual benefits through the intercessory powers of the two Servants of God. Another 18 witnesses recorded their testimony with the Board of Inquiry after the Mass. Krick was 35 and Bourry just 28 when they were killed. The mortal remains are still enshrined and preserved by the people of Somme village. The constitution of the Diocesan Board of...

The Miao unit of the Catholic Religious in India (CRI) organized an Animation Programme for the domestic support staff from around Miao to celebrate the Birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary as Girl Child Day at the Sevakendra Training Centre, Namphai on 8 September 2019. The domestic support staff in the convents and schools work restlessly without break, doing everything behind the four walls of the kitchen, said Sr. Anima Minj CM, the animator of the event. “We could not find a better way to give them a break and honour them for what they do without any expectation”, said the Carmelite Missionary Nun. The 40 participants from around Miao had a packed day with sessions on self-esteem, health and hygiene, counseling and lessons on sex education. The participants expressed gratitude and great joy at being part of an animation programme exclusively meant for them. “We thank our Sisters for taking this initiative to organise us on the birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary”, said one of the participants. The CRI unit is planning to organize such animation in other parts of the Diocese too to encourage spiritual formation and to provide a platform to express to their grievances and concerns, said Sr. Sunita Parmar CM, the director of Sevakendra Arunachal East, the social service wing of Miao Diocese. The Feast of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary was observed across the Diocese with animation, cultural events and inner healing...

Arunachal Pradesh has a literacy rate of 66.95% as per the 2011 census, with 73.69% being men and 59.57% being women. In 2001, literacy rate in Arunachal Pradesh stood at 54.34 percent of which male and female were 63.83 percent and 43.53 percent literate respectively. One cannot but notice the sharp increase in the literacy rate in the northeastern most state, bordering Myanmar and China. What are the contributing components of such a sudden improvement to the dismal situation ten years ago? According to the education department, of the 11,153 students from 84 government higher secondary schools (GHSS) who appeared for the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) in 2018, only 4944 students had passed. In the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE), of the 23,829 students registered, only 8270 passed. The government-run schools had a 21.22 pass percentage. The Newman Educational Society (NES) comes as a beacon of hope in this grim context of the dismal educational scenario of the State. NES has taken education to the last, least and the lost villages of Arunachal Pradesh. NES, a Registered Society established in the year 2000, is catering to the educational needs of over 18000 students in the last villages of east Arunachal Pradesh. “Most of what has been done is due to the selfless, committed and painstaking service of a group of dedicated young people who have understood the value of education”, says Bishop George Pallipparambil sdb the patron and founder of NES. ”What we have been able to achieve within these 20 years is nothing short of a miracle.” There are 473 teachers working in the 46 schools under NES spread across the six districts of East Arunachal Pradesh. Changlang District has 11 schools, Longding and Tirap District has 10 each, Lohit District has six, Namsai and Lower Dibang Valley Districts have five and four respectively. The pass percentage of the 14 high schools under NES is a whopping 96.45. Out of the total of 451 students who appeared for the CBSE and ICSE Board examinations 435 students passed, of which 221 are boys and 214 girls. A total of 231 students (53.1%) passed these examinations with 60 or more percentage of marks. This in a way explains the important role plays in the field of education in Arunachal Pradesh. “I wish all our teachers a very happy Teachers’ Day. It is with their commitment and dedication that we have been able to take education to the last villages of Arunachal Pradesh”, said Bishop George on the Teachers’ Day. “Thinking especially of how you work with so meagre remuneration, we can never thank you enough. Your contribution will go a long way in the task of nation-building. Mother Teresa of Kolkata, the Saint of the poorest of the poor, whose Feast coincides with the Teachers’ Day, spent her life for the marginalized is a shining example of dedication. May she be our role model and inspiration to commit ourselves totally to the task of educating the last, least and the lost children of Arunachal Pradesh”. For Bishop George, the schools under NES have larger role to play than just to improve the literacy rate. “It is not meant to churn out intellectual monsters or educated robbers who rob the nation’s poor. It is a social institution with a huge social responsibility. A few individuals passing...

News & Events

North East based tour operator bags National Tourism Award

Plantation and cleanliness drive mark Earth Day Network mega event in Arunachal Pradesh

Canonization process of Arunachal Martyrs gains momentum

Miao animates the Domestic Support Staff to Celebrate Girl Child Day

Taking Education to the last, the least and the lost of Arunachal Pradesh