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Guwahati to honour Don Bosco with a statue

By CM Paul |

The month of August will see several celebrations in the city of Guwahati, the gateway of northeast India, to mark the conclusion of the bi-centenary of the birth of St John Bosco.

The state of Assam and the city of Guwahati will honour the saint of youth Don Bosco and in recognition of the work done by his sons and daughters (Salesian fathers, brothers and sisters, alumni and co-operators) for over 90 years in northeast India since 1922, will install a life size state of the saint at Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Library junction.

Don Bosco was born in Becchi, in the Piedmont province of northern Italy, 16 August 1815.

Provincial of Guwahati Salesian Province Fr V.M. Thomas and Vice-Chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University Dr Stephen Mavely, met with the Chief Minister Shri Tarun Gogoi at his residence office at Kainadhara Hillock, 23 July to invite him for the concluding ceremony of the birth Centenary of Don Bosco, 16 August.

The same day, 16th August also marks the inauguration of the first Salesian University in India and the first Don Bosco University in the English speaking world at its permanent campus at Tapesia near Sonapur, some 17 kms off the state capital Dispur.

Mr Allen Brooks, the chairperson of the Assam State Commission for Minorities accompanied Fr. VM Thomas, and Dr. Stephen Mavely who presented Shri Gogoi with the replica of the statue of St. John Bosco.

Other cities in northeast India which have honoured Don Bosco with life size statue are Shillong, Meghalaya (Don Bosco Road and Square), Dimapur, Nagaland, and Agartala, Tripura.

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CM Paul's picture

Former HoD, Dept of Mass Communications at Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati, C.M. Paul was editor of The Herald weekly in Kolkata and director of Don Bosco International News Agency (ANS) based in Rome. He did MA in Journalism & Mass Communication from FORDHAM University, New York.

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ranjan basumatary's picture

Submitted by ranjan basumatary on Fri, 07/08/2015 - 23:34
The entire world has recognised the contribution of Don Bosco.  However it is shameful to see a section of narrow minded and uncivilised people. Those who opposed the installation of the statue of St John Bosco should learn to be sheep rather than wolves. This is real greatness and heroism.  

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