North East Catholic Research Forum

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Taw Tebin, and Pekhi Nabum, Re-elected APCA Leaders

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Newly elected members of APCA

Two prominent Catholic leaders of Arunachal Pradesh - Mr. Taw Tebin and Mr Pekhi Nabum, were re-elected as President and General Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association (APCA) on November 28, 2021. Following their re-elections to the position,.....

History of Manipur

Opinion | Articles | Irene Salam |

Manipur can boast of having a recorded history from 33 A.D. when Pakhangba ascended the throne of Manipur. On the other hand, there is no concrete chronology of the pre-historic culture of N.E. India, except for some sites in Tripura. A few ceramic wares .....

Unlocking Value, while Locking Democracy

Opinion | Articles | Victor Ferrao |

Some critics of the Government have declared that the new policy of monetization of the asset has put India on clearance sale. If not sale, it is surely putting India on rent. While the private players will look for the profit and the Government will get.....

Brief History of Catholic Faith in Zhavame Village

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang |

The seed of Catholic faith was sown in Zhavame village on 18th October, 1964 when a group of traders Mr. Akha, Mr. Tho-o, Mr. Theba and Mr. Thesii came across Mr. Panii of Liyai village from Mao Parish on their journey to Imphal. They embraced the Catholi.....

The Hug, Unplugged

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

On 31st October 2021, Christians in India woke up to a screaming headline, accompanied by a large photograph of Pope Francis and Narendra Modi hugging each other. It evoked mixed reactions. As per views expressed in the Catholic media, it gave an impressi.....

NECCOD Breaks Free Finally

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

NECCOD Choir Singing for the Holy Mass

After months of being confined to restricted engagements in view of the pandemic, members of the North East Catholic community, Delhi (NECCOD) came together for a full-fledged monthly Eucharistic celebration on November 7, 2021 at the Sacred Heart Cathedr.....

Bridging the Gap through Sports

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Group Photo before commencement of Play

In an initiative that could go a long way in bridging the gap between Priests and young Catholics, a Basketball match was organized at the St. Paul’s School Campus, in Manipur’s Chandel district, between young priests of the Archdiocese of Imphal and the .....

CM Meghalaya Visits Bishop’s House, Itanagar

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

CM Meghalaya at the Bishop's House in Itanagar

On October 18, 2021, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, called on Most Rev. John Thomas Kattrukudiyil, Bishop of Itanagr, at the Bishop’s house in Papunallah. Besides the Bishop, the CM was warmly received by Taw Tebin, president of APCA, Nab.....

The Realm of the Raconteur: Khasi Women and Storytelling

Opinion | Articles | Desmond L. Kharmawphlang |

The connection between memory and culture cannot be overemphasized. In oral cultures memory functions as an instrument that does not only connect the present with the past but that which makes sense of the world and its myriad dimensions. Humans require m.....

Battle of Imphal: The Forgotten Chapter of Manipur’s History

Opinion | Articles | Irene Salam |

In school days, we have studied something about World War-I and World War-II. But did this include the Battle of Imphal which was the fiercest Battle of World War-II fought in Imphal and Kohima. Are we aware of the reasons why this battle was fought in Ma.....

Bishops, Pawns and Politics: Indian Church loses friends and makes new enemies

Opinion | Articles | John Dayal |

No boat on a choppy Sea of Galilee would have been tossed as violently as the Church in India finds itself shaken today, trying to negotiate its way between competitive political space with Muslims and Hindus in distant Kerala, rampant persecution by non-.....

Roman Synod or the Greek Tragedy?

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

In my previous piece I wrote about some of the salient features of Synodality, for which Pope Francis began the process in Rome this 10th October. It will culminate, again in Rome, in October 2023. This Roman Synodal process will take two years because it.....

St. Thomas Church Tuensang: A stepping Stone for Catholic Church in Eastern Nagaland

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang |

St. Thomas Church is the first Diocesan Catholic Mission Centre to be opened in Nagaland, also the third Catholic Mission Centre of Nagaland after Kohima and Lakhuti Catholic Mission Centres’. The establishment of St. John’s School, Tuensang may be said t.....

Arrival of Catholic Church Among the Tangkhuls

Opinion | Articles | Joseph M Thohrii |

Introduction The Tangkhul land, now called Ukhrul District of Manipur is a beautiful mountainous country. The Tangkhuls are Naga tribe of Tibeto-Burman dialect speaking people and belong to the mongoloid race. They inherit a rich cultural like any othe.....

Editorial

Thank you Kerala, for keeping the Spirit of India alive

The most notable bright spot of the 2026 assembly elections is clearly the manner in which voters in Kerala exercised their franchise; Not because they voted any particular party to power, but because they avoided voting along communal lines. The victorie.....

Some Accountability for Social Media platforms

In March, a Los Angeles court hearing a petition filed by a 20-year-old woman, Kaley, who was a minor at the time of filing the case, held Meta and Google guilty of coming up with attention-grabbing applications, resulting in minor addiction to YouTube an.....

Sanju Samson's Silent Prayer was the Loudest Thanks giving

In a country where cricket is not just a game but considered next only to religion, a spectacle unfolded on March 1 inside the mammoth and iconic Eden Gardens cricket stadium in Kolkata, where the Indian and West Indies teams played the last of the Super.....

Stooping Beyond a Limit

When Himanta Biswa Sarma exited his parent party, the Indian National Congress, in 2015 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, not too many eyebrows were raised since such leapfrogging from one political party to the other was nothing new in Indian politi.....

The Culture of othering is an unhealthy trend

A German Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, was against the Communist ideology and also against Semitism. His distaste for them made him a natural ally and supporter of Rudolf Hitler. When Hitler ultimately assumed power and insisted on the supremacy of t.....

Persecutions in the land of Tagore, Vivekananda, and Gandhi

India is fortunate to have given birth to three outstanding sons, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired generations not only in India but across the world. Apart from their liberal thinking, their thoughts on religious f.....

The determination was written on every Indian player’s face

On the intervening night of November 2nd and 3rd, the Indian women’s cricket team created history by winning the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time at the DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai. They defeated South Africa, a team dubbed by many cricketing.....

Zubeen Garg unites people even in his death

Many ordinary people who are not connected to music and art might not have even heard of Zubeen Garg, despite being an iconic artist and a person who cared for others. However, after his unfortunate and untimely demise on September 19, 2025, social media.....

How serious are educational Institutions about the mental health of young people?

During the monsoon session of the Parliament in July 2025, Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the house that student suicide cases accounted for 7.6 per cent of all suicide cases reported across India in 2022, showing a slight.....

Religious Persecutions in the Land of Vivekananda and Gandhi

The dictionary meaning of ‘persecution’ reads as ‘unfair or cruel treatment based on race, religion, or political belief’. Therefore, persecution can occur through racial discrimination or political exploitation and is not necessarily limited to the relig.....

From a Murderer to a Pilgrim of Faith

Prior to June 27, 2025, not many people in this country and elsewhere would have heard of Chengu@Sudharsan@Chandu Hansda, who at the age of 13 turned into a murderer when he joined the mob that brutally burnt alive an Australian missionary, Graham Stewart.....

Ominous Signs and the Catholic response

India is a country that boasts staggering diversity—a colourful mix few in the world have the privilege of sharing. Since independence and the enactment of the constitution, freedom, liberty, and equality before the law has always been our treasured right.....

Previous Articles

Constitutional Challenges!

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash

In a short time from now, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the General Elections 2024. The citizens of India are aware that this is a watershed moment for the country and the outcome of the elections will certainly determine .....

History of Manipur

Opinion | Articles | Irene Salam

Manipur can boast of having a recorded history from 33 A.D. when Pakhangba ascended the throne of Manipur. On the other hand, there is no concrete chronology of the pre-historic culture of N.E. India, except for some sites in Tripura. A few ceramic wares .....

The Poor are with Us!

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash

The Catholic Church, will observe the ‘World Day of the Poor’, on 16 November 2025. The day has a special significance this year, since it comes in the wake of Pope Leo XIV’s first major papal document: An Apostolic Exhortation addressed “to all Christian.....

NECCOD Engages Its Members with Online Activities

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep

With COVID-19 bringing the entire World to grinding halt, India too closeted into homes from the last week of March, 2020, with the objective of staying away from the unseen human enemy. This made life very difficult for people from the North East residin.....

CM Meghalaya Visits Bishop’s House, Itanagar

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep

On October 18, 2021, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, called on Most Rev. John Thomas Kattrukudiyil, Bishop of Itanagr, at the Bishop’s house in Papunallah. Besides the Bishop, the CM was warmly received by Taw Tebin, president of APCA, Nab.....

NEIRBC Gets a new Education Commission Team

Current Updates | Editorial Pick | Editorial team

Guwahati, June 25, 2025 – The Northeast Bishops Council’s Commission for Education has appointed a new leadership team, with Fr. Dr. Paul Pudussery, a Holy Cross priest, taking the helm. This transition marks the third leadership handover since the commis.....

Who is Responsible for Human Disasters?

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan

Soon after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad we have witnessed mixed feelings expressed by public – shock, sadness, anxiety, fear, suspicion and anger. Also, various theories are evolving like bird-hit, technical fault, high temperature, pilot’s mist.....

Enhancing life Skills & effective communication for Teachers

Opinion | Articles | Sunny Jacob SJ

“Life skills is a term used to describe a set of basic skills acquired through learning and/or direct life experience that enable individuals and groups to effectively handle issues and problems commonly encountered in daily life” In other words, Life Ski.....

Sexual Abuse through Social Media

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan

A few days ago, one of my friends shared with me some sad news. His college-going daughter was found to have had severe depression for almost a week. During the counseling, she revealed that she was being blackmailed by her classmate. She had posted her f.....

Four, Five and Eleven

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai

This is obviously not a mathematical equation. Let me tell you why I chose these random numbers. The number Four reminded me about the Readers’ Digest. It invariably carried a feature, “Drama in Real Life”; of how human beings endured and overcame insurmo.....

Justice for women religious in the Catholic Church

Opinion | Articles | Virginia Saldanha

The message of Pope Francis on the day of Consecrated Life has heartened a number of women religious in India. It is based on his prayer intention for the month of February: “Let us pray for religious sisters and consecrated women, thanking them for their.....

Education

Don Bosco University Assam

University | NECARF Rep |

Where Quest for Excellence is a Mission

In search of Excellence.....

In the Serene Crest of Green Chandel

School | NECARF Rep |

St. Peter's Higher Secondary School

In the serene crest of Chandel stands St. Peter's Higher School where every hidden qualities of students is turned into excelence.....

Job Fair in Don Bosco Kohima

College | NECARF Rep |

Job Fair Notice

For kind attention of young boys and girls who are interested in getting recruited in different Comnpaies......

Step in to the World of Journalism and Mass Media

College | NECARF Rep |

Niscort Media College

For those who aspire for the world of Mass media.....

Avail Early Bird Discount in Media Studies

College | NECARF Rep |

Admission Notice

NISCORT, one of the Premier Media Colleges in the National Capital area, announces admission for several graduate and post-graduate level courses in Media studies. Interested students may visit www.niscort.com for details......

NISCORT Announces three different courses in Journalism and Mass Communication

College | NECARF Rep |

aa

For those Interested in Journalism studies, the above affordable courses comes as a boon.....

Current Updates

History and Spread of Christianity in Arunachal Pradesh

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Map of Arunachal Pradesh

• Home • About Us • Education • Opinion • Current Updates • Reports • Photo Gallery • Archives • Contributors • Contact Us History and Spread of Christianity in Arunachal Pradesh **//** Easter: The Beginning of a New Story **//.....

ICF Writes to the President of India

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Hon’ble Smt Draupadi Murmu, PRESIDENT OF INDIA Rashtrapati Bhawan New Delhi presidentofindia@rb.nic.in 31st December 2025 Respected Rashtrapatiji, Sub: Christmas attacks on Christians Namaskar! I respectfully place before you some of the.....

Attacks aginst Christians increased by 500% since 2014: Rights Groups

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Attacks Against Christians Increased by 500% Since 2014: Rights Groups New Delhi: On November 4, Christian rights activists assembled at the Press Club of India to release a report about an alarming and sustained annual surge in incidents of violence a.....

An MSMHC Nun from Mizoram did the North East Proud

NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Sr Rose Paite

October 14, 2025: Sr Rose Paite, an MSMHC nun from Mizoram, received the prestigious National Award from the Catholic Mental Health Ministry (CMHM) at the World Mental Health Day Conference in Kerala. The prestigious award was handed over to the recipie.....

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez’s address

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Synodality: Why No, and Why Yes Some have hoped that our new pope would ease up a little on this matter of synodality. Instead, Pope Leo has expressed a strong desire to continue along the path of synodality. For example: “Synodality becomes a mindset, .....

North East Catholic Community of Delhi puts up a Glittering show

NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Mr Lalduhoma and Archbishop Anil J T Couto, with other dignataries

The North East Catholic Committee of Delhi (NECCOD) accorded a warm welcome to their new members who had joined them in the Delhi NCR region with spiritual and a social gathering worthy of the colours mix of the region they come from. This was the 33rd oc.....

Opinion

Communications must be Human

Articles | Cedric Prakash |

The Catholic Church observed the 60th World Day of Social Communications on 17 May 2025. In his first message for this significant day, Pope Leo XIV focussed on the need and importance of 'Preserving Human Voices and Faces'. The message which was written .....

Amazing (F)acts

Articles | Chhotebhai |

During Eastertide, till the Ascension, the daily Mass readings are invariably taken from the Acts of the Apostles. Some of these acts are amazing. This is how biblical scholars describe this compilation. It is usually attributed to Luke, a non-Jewish S.....

Poverty and Caste: Two Unseen Weights Crushing Young Lives

Articles | John Dayal |

Rohith Vemula was a 26-year-old Dalit PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad whose suicide on January 17, 2016, sparked national protests against caste discrimination in Indian academia amidst demands for the resignation of the then Human Resources mi.....

A Clarion Call for Repeal of APFRA 1978

Articles | Yumri Taipodia |

In every society, there comes a moment when laws must be re-examined—not out of rebellion, but out of responsibility. A moment when people pause and ask whether the legal frameworks that once seemed necessary still serve justice, freedom, and human dignit.....

From Prosperity to Austerity

Articles | Chhotebhai |

Not so long ago we were talking of a trillion dollar and the fastest growing economy; about Amritkal and achche din. Our vishwaguru had growing locks and global ambitions. Then the bubble burst on 28th February when Dada Donald and Bibi Netanyahu launc.....

Thank you Kerala, for keeping the Spirit of India alive

Editorial | John S. Shilshi |

The most notable bright spot of the 2026 assembly elections is clearly the manner in which voters in Kerala exercised their franchise; Not because they voted any particular party to power, but because they avoided voting along communal lines. The victorie.....

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