NISCORT Bids Farewell to its Longest Serving Dean

Vaishali (Ghaziabad), Aug.17: National Institute of Social Communications, Research And Training (Niscort), organised a heart warming farewell to Fr. John Edappilly the outgoing Dean of studies. Rt. Rev. Salvadore Lobo the Bishop of Baruipur,  and a large number of his friends, acquaintances, several prominent media persons, the priests and nuns from the neighbouring institutions, the staff and students of Niscort turned up to bid farewell  at the function.  

Fr.Jude Bothello, the director of Niscort, expressed sincere admiration to Fr. John for his dedicated service. He presented a brief sketch of his eventful eight years at Niscort from the year 2002. He said, “I could fully depend on John and I knew the task taken up by him will be fulfilled.”. He also acknowledged that it was Fr. John’s effort that the institute got association with Makhanlal Chathurvedi University, to provide the masters degree and post graduate diploma courses. He was candid in admitting that the centre would miss the services of Dr. Edappilly very much.

Rt. Rev. Salvadore Lobo articulated the gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India and appreciated his attitude to any role and responsibility that comes along. He said, “Fr. John is a builder of community with contagious smile, association and information”. It is his ability to communicate effectively the visions of the organization in an exciting free-style that added to the success that Niscort achieved in the previous years.

Mr. A.J. Philip and Ms. Sunaina Chabra speaking on behalf of the staff felt that Dr. Edappilly was a strict disciplinarian and at the same time very human and understanding. “The stern and good humoured manner of approach inspired the staff members to contribute their best with enthusiasm”, said Mr. AJ Philip.  

“Veni,vidi,vici” meaning “I came, I saw, I conquered” the words attributed to Julius Caesar were the  words that Fr. Thomas D, Silva, speaking on behalf of the student community credited to Fr. John, who in reality conquered  the hearts of the staff and students. He said that one outstanding trait in Fr. John is that he is an exemplary, enthusiastic, confident and committed leader, possessing a multi-faceted personality.

A video presentation documenting memorable events of Fr. John in Niscort with photos and video footages was the highlight of the function. The function was marked by the colourful cultural programmes put up by the students. The farewell song- ‘All of us gathered here’ put the gathering in the farewell mood. ‘Save the Earth’, the street play and the fusion dance by the students gave some food for thought and also kept everyone tap tapping their feet. The event came to an end with an agape.

In his farewell message Fr. John said, “I was just an instrument to be with you to encourage and institute the media studies here over a period”. He encouraged the students saying, “You have one of the best chances with the latest facilities second to none. Make the best use of it and there is no substitute to hard work to achieve the goal”. He appreciated the hard work of the students and the co-operation of the faculty members which made a name for the institute in the university securing hundred percentage year after year.

Jisty Varghese, II MJ, NISCORT

Bye Bye Dear Father!

I'll never try to hold you back 


I wouldn't try controlling you 


If it's what you want 
It's what I want 


I want what's best for you 


And if there's something else that you're looking for 


I'll be the first to help you try 


Believe me when I say 


It's hard to say goodbye 

Dear Rev. Dr. John Edappilly,

The above lyrics from Celine Dion’s song aptly describe the sentiments: yours and ours too! “There’s a time for everything”, says the author of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Holy Bible.  After 8 eventful years at Niscort, the time has come for you to move on. Moving on...has been your trait in life.

You moved on from the humble hamlet of Irinjalakuda in Kerala in 1963 to be a Carmelite of Mary Immaculate (CMI) priest. Almost 50 long and eventful years spent with one and only one goal- to be a humble instrument of Good News from God! You shunned mediocrity and worked hard to be a thorough scholar and professional. You hold triple masters degrees in Theology, Psychology and Theatre and Media. The Temple University, Philadelphia conferred- ‘Outstanding Academic Achievement Award’ for your PhD Dissertation titled: The Emerging Electronic Church. It was in line with your motto in life as a priest-“To help people, especially the youth to find a right perspective in life”.

Dear Fr. John, you are an acclaimed and accomplished teacher. Which is evident as you are a visiting professor at Dharmaram College, Bangalore;  Ponfifical Institute, Alwaye; Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai; and Immaculata University, Pennsylvania in the United States of America. NISCORT indeed was privileged to have such an outstanding scholar in you as its dean for the past 8 years.

NISCORT was a baby when you arrived in 2003, with only a few in-house Post Graduate Diploma programs. It was your initiative by which the institute got affiliated to Makhanlal Chaturvedi University and the students could proudly wield their Post Graduate certificates while looking for a career in media. You introduced a lot of interesting and unique study programs and appointed experts in the faculty. Facilities and opportunities were provided. You gave a direction and an impetus. It was your dream to make NISCORT one of the premier media training institutes in the country. You have worked hard and you have been advising us saying, “You have one of the best chances with the facilities second to none. Make the best use of it. There is no substitute for hard work.”

Fr.John, you possess a multi-faceted personality: very witty; highly humorous; an accomplished artist; a disciple of MS Subbalakshmi when it comes to classical singing; strict and disciplined- as if you were an army General in your previous birth; kind and considerate to the weak and vulnerable like Jesus your Master; well-focused on the goal and achieving it at all cost. Father, I can go on... but time is the constraint. But one trait that is outstanding in you is that you are an exemplary, enthusiastic, confident and committed leader. And we would love to be your disciples!

It was God’s call that brought you here and it is He now sending you to elsewhere. “Veni, vidi, vici”, were the words attributed to Julius Caesar, meaning, “I came, I saw, I conquered”. Well, you have conquered our hearts... the packed audience here is the proof enough! Every good thing comes to an end. But true love doesn’t have a happy ending, because true love never ends. We wish that you could stay with us a little longer. However the words of Robert Frost, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep...But I have promises to keep...and miles to go before I sleep”, may be coming to your mind.

Thank you Father for coming into our lives and leaving the footprints on our hearts. Best of luck for your future plans. We would like to conclude with a wish and a prayer quoting the Irish Blessing, “May the road rise up to meet you; may the wind be ever at your back; may the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Wishing you Farewell

NISCORT Students 2011

Fr. Thomas D'Silva, II MJ

Re-Inventing the Soul of India

I am a worried man and I ask any man on the street, “How goes everything with your life?”- The answer is invariably- “I am a worried man”! That explains the state of affairs, in our State- India, which marks the 64^th anniversary of its freedom from the Colonial Masters. Not everyone though agrees with the statement- ‘we are a free country’. The nation is enchained by the plagues of poverty, unemployment, inflation, price rise, violence, fundamentalism; and top up with terrorism and corruption in every walk of public life. One tends to feel a sense of distress and disappointment and conclude- our country is a disaster!

I am not a ‘prophet of doom’, nor am I a revolutionary. Our country has seen many of them and witnessed scores of revolutions. Anna Hazare is the latest one to make our imaginations soar high with a glimmer of hope. The doctor (Hazare) has diagnosed India’s malady: the symptom is poverty, the cause- corruption at political and bureaucratic level and the cure- a strong Ombudsman- Jan Lokpal Bill! The question is will Team Anna and his million-army of fans make India free again? Is this the ‘second Independence struggle’ making India: a corruption-free country, which was once the abode of noble kings and holy monks generating ancient civilizations and renowned world religions? Who can free me if I want to remain in the muck!

We may bask in the glory of our rich past, forgetting the torments of today and the thought of tomorrow. We may even take our seats on the gallery and cheer the team or criticise it on the sidelines. But the point is will I face the problem of today and the prospect of tomorrow? Will I leave the luxury of gallery and be part of the battle in the field? That’s a choice each citizen of the country should make as our country is on the cross roads of history. Otherwise, neither Lokpal nor Jan Lokpal nor any other ombudsman is ever going to pull us out of the mess that we are in at the moment.

It is a moment for soul-searching, looking inward and digging deep into the resources that we possess. That we need to be rooted in our spiritualism: the eternal virtues of honesty, integrity, self-respect...they have to come alive. The mind of a monk, the soul of a sage, the peace of a peasant at work has to be reborn in us. Each citizen needs to be a ‘mahatma’. No amount of coercion and even vigilance from outside is going to liberate us, if we do not want to be liberated. Shall we resolve to get out of the muck! Let this Independence Day be a clarion call for each citizen to re-invent the soul of India!

Shravan Kumar (Anand), MJ II Yr, NISCORT

Farewell and Thanks to Rev. Dr. John Edappilly, CMI

We, the staff and students of NISCORT

Cordially invite you to

the Farewell and Thanksgiving 

Programme for

Rev. Dr. John Edappilly, CMI

former Dean of Studies at NISCORT

to be held on Wednesday

August 17, 2011, at 10.30 am.

Your esteemed presence is 

earnestly solicited for the function.

Please do join us for the lunch.

New Members of the Residential Faculty

A cordial welcome to the new members of the residential faculty

Fr. Devassy Kollamkudyil Sdb
Course Coordinator

Fr. Dominic D'Abreo
Registrar & PRO

Sr. Vincentia FSMA
Catering In-charge

Sr. Fidelis FSMA
Hostel Warden

NISCORT Pledges to Promote Human Values in the Media

Vaishali (Ghaziabad), Aug.8: “The Dharma of media is the promotion of human and divine values”, reminded His Excellency Gracian Mundadan, the Apostolic Visitator of the Syro Malabar Church in Delhi while addressing the staff and students of National Institute of Social Communication and Research Training (NISCORT) Centre here today. Inaugurating the academic session 2011-12, Bishop Mundadan gave the example of a German newspaper which had ventured to cover only the ‘good news’ had to be closed down within a year of its inception! “Though they found no good news to cover, yet NISCORT should make a difference in the media field and bring hope to the nation with the good news”, advised the Bishop.

Dr.Jude Bothelho, the director in his welcome address invited the gathering to ‘be the voice of the voiceless’. “Media is not a one-man-show”, he cautioned stressing the importance of working together as a team.

All the staff and students- new and old, introduced each other on the occasion. There have been some changes in the residential staff of NISCORT. Dr. John Edappilly, the dean has been replaced by Fr. Devassy Kullankudiyil and Fr. Dominic D’Abreo takes over as the new Registrar in place of Fr.Jackson, who will be helping the students at the studio. There are 23 in the new batch which has joined for the Masters in Audio-Visual, Print and Broadcast Journalism.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the NISCORT productions: ‘Insight’ and ‘Are Women Safe in Delhi?’ These audio-visuals were indeed inspiring.

The session was closed on a cautious note by Fr. Jose Edassery, the Co-Ordinatory of Syro-Malabar Church in Delhi. He highlighted how media ‘creates’ stories and warned, “Be aware of the world around because everything- your clothing, dress habits, attitudes... will be determined by the big ‘event managers’ of the media”. NISCORT, the media wing of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) is a premier national institute trying to make a difference in the field of media. In an age when the mainstream media is scrambling for commercial gains, NISCORT plans to set its own benchmark.

Reported by Thomas D'Silva, II MJ, NISCORT