Leadership

Another characteristic of a good and noble leader... 

A true leader always stands in front during failure and stands behind during success. 

Switching on for years!

 The other day I had to change the switches in my office.  They were put in there less than 6 years ago, by my predecessor.  I guess the old switchboard and the switches were replaced as part of some renovation carried out in the office.  

On the other hand, I see the switches of the rest of the house.  They were the original switches put in place, when the Provincial house was built and ready in 1995.  They have been operational and functional for 31 years! And still going strong! 

The ones put in 1995 were of Anchor company and these have lasted for three decades. Not just intact, but fully and perfectly operational! Hats off to such products and their manufacturers.  They were build to last... unlike new products which appear fancy, but built to last the least amount of time!

The phrase, 'Old is gold' hold a great amount of truth in it.  

Attract rather than chase

 One of the only quotes I've ever had as a desktop wallpaper was the following quote: 

Of late I've realised it a perfect summary of what I've been trying to tell for quite sometime about the way we operate and seek funds. Most of us seek funds with only a concept in mind - never tested, never really the need (that's the real sin!) and never out of genuine concern for the poor but mostly to fan our desire to 'work'.  Instead of that, the best and the proper way is to identify the need, and start with something small, with whatever is at hand!  Let others see that noble and qualitative work you do, with the meagre resources you have and then they'll naturally pitch in!  If not with tons of financial resources, with what they have or can.  Most importantly, people for and WITH whom you are doing this apostolate will own it. 

Attract rather than chase!!! 

Windows 7 to 10, with an old key

 I had thought that a windows activation key is valid for any version of Windows. In other words, if I had a Windows 7 version and I extracted the windows key from it and then swapped or attempted a fresh install of Windows 10, I could use the same windows key. But Windows has for sometime now, blocked using windows 7 or 8 key to directly activate new windows 10 installation. 

But there is a way to work around that too. 

Basically the windows key is tied to the motherboard and not the HDD or the SSD. 

The trick is to digitalize the key, from within windows 7 

1. Upgrade from within w7 to w10... here
2. After upgrade, and once on the w10 desktop, connect to the net and go to windows activation (Settings>Security>Activation). This should read as 'W is activated with a digital license'
3. This digitalizes the license and links the license to your motherboard, recognizing your laptop with a genuine w10 license
4. Physically swap your hdd with an ssd
5. Install w10 using your bootable drive and when prompted to feed in the activation key, skip it to say you don't have the key
6. After the w10 installation is done, connect to the net and w10 connects to the net to recognize your laptop has a digital key on your motherboard and activates the key

Basically, learnt that the key is linked mostly to the motherboard rather than the ssd. 

PS: The key is hardwired to the system!  One cannot use a key on another system, unless the key is bought separately and did not come pre-installed with the system. 

Doves

 A couple of months ago I noticed a dove carrying twigs to build its nest right in our Provincial house, lobby.  That too on the small stand close to the ceiling used to place the internet modem!  I tried to shoo it away a couple of times.  Mostly frightened that they'd mess up the modem and internet connectivity.  And I took it for granted that it would not continue building there given that the junction is almost always busy.  It has the reception.  The photocopier is in there.  The children coming for their daily classes sit there. And it is practically the path most used by any and everyone coming into the house!  

I was wrong!  The doves did build their nest and two weeks ago I saw two tiny heads popping out of that pedestal!  There was barely any nest as such!  And since the last couple of days, I noticed the two tiny ones have already grown feathers and are now already taking their first flights! 

In spite of my reluctance, I'm in a way happy to see birds build their nest in our homes. It is a sign of blessing and tranquility for me. Invariably there are different kinds of birds building their nests inside the quadrangle, around the lawn.  Most often in the bushes around the lawn (white-browed wagtail), twice (doves, again) on the LED focus lamp on the first floor, at times in the creepers at the Chapel corner (sparrows) or outside the Secretary's office. 

Chandur history (early years)

 A brief history about our Salesian apostolate at Chandur... 

Fr Koshy Thomas and Fr Muthalakuzhiyil Sebastian were the first Salesians to arrive in the diocese of Nalgonda, at the request of Bp Mathew Cheriankunnel PIME.  The offer of the Parish of Bhimanapally was made by the Bishop to the Salesian provincial, Fr Thomas Thayil through a letter dated 4 April 1981. In the same letter, it is clear that the had already approached the Salesian Sisters too to welcome them to the Diocese.  Although he was offering us the parish of Bhimanapally, by this time already, it is evident that the Bishop had earmarked Chandur for a college and that this was his vision to have it as a Salesian base (with Salesians and FMAs).  The same letter of the Bishop also states that his decision to offer the parish of Bhimanapally was not without opposition and criticism.  But him being a zealous pastor, he was clear that if the Diocese was to truly and deeply grow, the presence of the religious was a must.  

Prior to this written communication, as early as 1979, the initially proposed site at Chandur and the parish of Bhimanapally were shown to the Salesians.  Fr UV Mathew, then economer of the Bangalore province, Fr John Lens, a Provincial Council member and Fr Emprayil Mathew, then based in Vijayawada first visited the two proposed sites in Vijayawada (Ibrahimpatnam and Guntupalli). From there they drove to the Bishop's house in Nalgonda and the Bishop himself accompanied and showed the Salesian team the plot in Chandur and the already existing parish of Bhimanapally.  

And so it was that in May 1981, the two Salesians were sent by Fr Thayil to Bhimanapally.  The then Parish Priest Fr Casiraghi was a good friend of the Salesians and helped us settle in.  The two Salesians were in the Parish from May 1981 to May 1985. In 1985 both Koshy and Sebastian were transferred and Fr Devasy (of happy memory) was posted as the Parish Priest. Koshy went to Guntur and Sebastian was moved to... ?. Fr Devassy continued the good work at Bhimanapally for more than a year.  Then in 1986-87, the Salesians decided to pull out of Bhimanapally and Fr Devassy was transferred elsewhere.  I guess this decision to hand over the Parish back to the diocese was purely to focus our personnel and energies on Chandur; there was no reason other than that.  In fact, the people of the parish too wanted us to continue and there was nothing untoward that would have pushed us to hand back the Parish to the Diocese.  With that ended the Bhimanapally chapter!

During the first year of our presence in the diocese itself the exploration of initiating a college was also underway.  The land offered to us by the Bishop, in Chandur for the college was near the bus stand.  A plot measuring little less than 7 acres.  However, when the Salesians visited the place and with the intention of preparing the ground for the Salesian residence, hostel and college, found that the plot had no source of water.  Hence another plot of land, measuring 10 acres was assigned to the Salesians by the Bishop.  That is where we ultimately set up base in 1985.  

In 1984 the diocese of Nalgonda was 8 years old and during one of their meeting held on 14 November 1984 the dire need of a college in the diocese to specifically cater to the Catholic students of the region was vocally made and recorded. This was a long simmering need that was openly acknowledged and in response to that need, it was agreed by the Diocesan council to invite the Salesians to open a college in Chandur.  This request was made by Bp Mathew Cheriankunnel in a letter dated 18 November 1984 addressed to Fr Thomas Thayil, the then Salesian Provincial of Bangalore.  He requested the Salesians to start the college by June 1985 at Chandur. 

By April or May of 1885, Fr Malayati Jacob was assigned to Chandur to initiate the college and was on the ground.  He was assisted by Fr Koshy in the first couple of months of that intervening period of March to June 1885.  Fr Koonananickal Jose reached Chandur as the administrator in June 1885.   

Hard work and personal witness

 Call it coincidence or serendipity.  Before leaving for the MPE meet in Delhi, Dc Banka Sagar was sharing one of his experience while during practical training in Manoharabad.  Prior to joining the Salesians, he said he used to once in a way work at construction sites, especially while putting in the RCC slab.  When in the novitiate, they was some renovation work going on and the sand unloaded by the lorry needed to be taken up a floor or two. Sagar spoke to the Master and the Contractor and agreed to do the shifting for a price of Rs 5000.  He got the novices one evening and completed the work.  They used that money for a special meal for the community. 

While in Delhi, the Salesian Province of Dimapur shared a practice in vogue in one of its remote rural mission station school, where the school monthly fees is about Rs 700 or so. That's a day's wage for labour in that part of the country.  With most parents being poor labourers or farmers, rather than insisting with them to pay the fees on time, some Salesian at some time in the past proposed a day's labour in exchange for a month's school fee.  So those parents or sometime grown up students themselves who wish to pay their monthly fee through work, instead of cash, collectively work on the Salesian farm on a chosen day.  The farm work progresses, the parents are happy that they need not give their meagre income to the school, children continue their studies uninterrupted for want of school fee payment!  A win-win situation for all. 

Reflecting on these two narrations, I was wondering how many of us Salesians and boys will not mind some such undertaking.  In a month, take up some work in some ongoing work in the neighbourhood, just for a day or max two.  That too a holiday or free day.  Use that amount for something noble of the house: fees of someone unable to pay the fees, salary of one staff for a month, purchase of a small equipment or gadget for the smooth running of the institution, cover some sick students medical bill... any such NEED of the house.  Of course, the Salesian should be the heart and soul of this initiative and undertaking!  Not that he is the first one to resist hard work or shun manual labour!  

It is easy to misinterpret this initiative or thought as a fund-raising gimmick.  The earned amount is only an auxiliary outcome.  The bigger goal is respect for labour and collective effort at addressing communal needs. Most of us are used to getting our needs met by others labour.  My bigger issue is how we treat our boys who share our residence and food.  We get funds and donations in their name, but most of it is spent for our wants (not necessarily needs). If only boys and our students see us passionately striving for their well being, not as outsiders or as different from them, but as truly their 'brothers' and 'fathers', they will not mind cleaning the sewage of the town.  I've seen them fight to do that dirty job, just because I felt that it should be cleaned and I was ready to jump in to do it.  

MPE Rewind 2026

 I've been wanting to pen my learning from the recently concluded Mission Poverty Eradication (MPE) Rewind 2026 meeting held in Delhi.  I purposely kept delaying it to achieve some sort of objectivity and fairness (historical distance!), rather than let my reflection be moved primarily by emotion. 

While I truly still feel, a virtual meeting would have sufficed, but to be fair, I cannot but appreciate the meeting content.  Rather than come without a set agenda and let things unfold, the meeting was aimed at collating the efforts of the last one year, across the provinces of south Asia.  So the best was that preparation done.  We did not walk into the meeting, arms swinging.  Each province had to prepare two definite presentations and a video. So, in that sense, there was much effort and planning and thought put into the meeting itself. 

What I'd sincerely appreciate is a little more of openness and synodal approach towards the whole enterprise.  This is about the methodology at work of the whole initiative rather than the meeting per se.  I somehow sense a strong suspicion underlying the initiative, that most Salesians are against this endeavour.  That outlook really hampers the owning up of the undertaking because much of it depends on involvement and commitment.  When people tend to feel emotionally hurt, the tendency is to either resist or stay aloof - both of which are foolish and immature reactions.  Neither of which is helpful for the dissemination and imbibing of a noble initiative like MPE.  

That said, I see the potentiality and the ultimate goal that this undertaking strives to achieve: an attitudinal and strategic change in the way we exercise our ministry, focusing our attention consciously on the poorest. 

God's love for young people

 One particular statement of Fr Fabio Attard, the Rector Major, during his talk to us in Delhi in the context of the meeting on Mission Poverty Eradication struck me: 

Let not the stories of Don Bosco distract you or keep you from knowing THE story of Don Bosco.  

He was challenging us to get to know the real spirit and mind of the man whom we claim to the Father of youth, the founder of the SDBs.  Not to being satisfied with knowing tits and bits of his life and works and trying to imitate those.  To know Don Bosco is to know his mind and his whole life story as one.  To be driven by what moved him most and best: God's love for young people. 

They are celebrating!

 For those who think they are smart, they will sooner than later find someone who will outsmart them, that too in a most humble and hilarious manner. 

Most recently during our table conversations, I heard of the following incident involving Fr VG Mathew.  He originally hailed from Chennai Province but moved around the other Indian Provinces before settling for good in Bangalore Province.  He was certainly not an easy character!  

One day he approached the then vice-provincial, Fr Koonan Thomas stating that he would like a small celebration in his honour.  The occasion being him completing 25 years of his moving from Chennai Province to the Bangalore Province.  To which, Fr Thomas immediately replied, "Why should we celebrate. The Chennai Province is celebrating!" 

Decided forum

 I was part of a two day meeting recently. Most of the meeting comprised of presentations and videos of various achievements and strategies of the various provinces across the region.  However, there were two sessions, in the afternoons, titled 'Open Forum'. 

Most of the participants were familiar with one another, and attending this programme for the second time in as many years.  As for me, I was attending this gathering for the first time, outside the Province. At one point, during the Open forum, I made a proposal citing a similar effort already underway, as the same initiative proposed earlier in the day.  I did not oppose the initiative proposed or negate the plan.  All that I proposed was that we could converge efforts and minds, because the methodology and the end result were exactly - EXACTLY - the same!  

However, what happened immediately after I made the proposal was really something I was not prepared for.  The reaction to that proposal soon made it clear to me that the planned initiative and the whole meeting was a highly isolated and individual effort.  This enterprise spanned everything but did not want anyone or anything else to touch it - leave alone, assist or impact it.   

Far from being a Open forum, it appeared to me as a 'Decided Forum'! 

Different purposes

 On my recent flight from Hyderabad to Delhi, I couldn't but pay attention to the in-flight announcements, especially by the Captain and the flight crew head.  While I barely could understand what the Captain spoke, the crew head's message was a little more understandable.  I couldn't help but compare the announcements with newsreading. 

A newsreader spells out the words in order for the hearer to grasp and understand.  An inflight announcement is to fulfill an obligation.  The former's whole endeavour is to articulate the message in as clear way as possible.  The latter has no such responsibility to articulate a communication (flight safety and convenience, being the priorities).  

Output to outcome!

 I'm attending the Mission Poverty Eradication, Rewind 2026 episode in Delhi since yesterday. 

Among the few significant aspects that the learnings of the two year enterprise that have struck me, the one that really caught my attention is the following fact: reflection. 

Although not still clear of the focus of this initiative, at least in terms of the methodology and procedure, more than the goal, I should say I'm fully with the ultimate purpose of this initiative: that we need to focus our attention on the poorest of the poor. 

Another aspect: Shifting from output to outcome.  The shift from asking "How many have we trained?" (output) to asking, "What has changed in the lives of those we have trained?" (outcome)

Morning miracle

 On 8 September 2026, the birthday of Mother Mary, three miracles happened in my own personal life: 

1. I woke up (thanks be to God, for the gift of life!) 
2. I woke up, by myself, without the alarm ringing (that has rarely happened!) 
3. I woke up, by myself, in time for Mass (that's the real miracle!)

Values and context in Vocation Promotion

 For quite some time a thought has been doing the rounds in my own mind, with regard to vocation promotion.  In particular, vocation promotion by myself, close at home!  I've been asking myself if I'd feel comfortable and confident to invite my own nephew or niece to join the Salesians, as a Priest or Brother and Sister.  

To be honest, I am neither comfortable nor confident in offering that invitation.  Nonetheless, I would still not mind speaking about this possibility to them, but with a rider: Join, only if you are willing to be true to your basic values and not fold up to the pressures which are in plenty and enticing too!  

Looking back and counting my blessings, especially those which have helped me keep myself steady and strong, I count the values inculcated in me by my parents and the context in which this was done as one of the most powerful one. While my parents hard work and determination was inspirational, their struggles were not hidden from my brother and I.  Their example and the financial situation of the times helped me grow without being shy of engaging in hard manual work.  

While I have no doubt about the values my nephew and niece witness at home, I seriously wonder if they are used to living a hard difficult life, not just without moaning about it, but joyfully embracing it as an opportunity for growth. That they may actually embrace the challenge is a possibility; but I also fear our present comfort level in the religious life is too enticing and tempting. 

I also need to remind myself that a vocation is initially God's call. So He who calls, also equips! 

AI and the mosquito bat

 A few months ago, I bought a tennis bat sold on street corners to kill mosquitoes. Those who have used these bats know that this can be electrically charged and used to 'shock and awe' mosquitoes.  However, prior to this purchase and use, I've spent days and months and years killing mosquitoes with hands... at times with just one hand. And I was good at this hand-killing!! 

But of late I noticed, that my hand-killing skill has gone dull or weak.  Relying on the electric bat has significantly reduced my reliance on using hands alone to catch and kill mosquitoes.  What began as an added tool, soon became the only 'skill' I knew.  

I guess this same is what can be applied to incessant use of AI in life and works. Using the support of AI certainly enhances the quality of our work; but relying solely on AI for any specific task or all tasks, severely hampers natural skills and talents.  

The calculator was an additional tool to help us calculate large numbers and figures.  Unfortunately, some of us now reach for the calculator to calculate 8 times 8!! Heavy and total reliance on the calculator has divested us of our ability to calculate even simple sums and mathematical calculations.  Let it not be said of our generation that complete reliance on AI has cost us our ability to think and reflect.  

Shrinking attention span

 The human capacity for paying attention has been shrinking rapidly, furthered to a great extent by the great advances made in communication technology.  

In cricket, Test matches running into 5 days were the craze.  Then came the One-day matches.  That transition took some time.  But the next phase of T20 was quick and brutal.  While those who love cricket genuinely and play the game know the worth of a Test match endurance and quality, most spectators would any day prefer a T20 game over a Test. 

In the entertainment field there were long movies, screened only in theatres.  That was the only place one could watch movies.  Then came the television and other platforms where one could watch old movies from the comfort of one's living room.  Then came sweeping the 'reels-era'. Now most people are addicted to scrolling reels on their mobile phones.  Not just in one's own living room, but anywhere and everywhere and every given time!  Movies lasted 2 to 3 hours. Now reels last not more than a minute.  

For information, one had to read newspapers.  Today printed newspapers are hardly subscribed for.  There are ample apps which provide 'news bits'. Just a para or a couple of lines.  That is sufficient.  From leading lengthy news articles to news slightly longer than the headlines, information grasping has shortened.  

The worse hit has been book-reading. Except, perhaps research scholars, and ardent book lovers, there are hardly any people who 'have the time' to read a book!  

More than the decline in attention span, the speed at which that span is declining is alarming.  Dopomine acceleration is indeed sabotaging the deepening of wisdom.  Information is today the biggest risk to knowledge and wisdom. 

Responsibility

 Some old friends who meet after a long gap, or those who care about me most, knowing my present responsibility in the Province, at times ask how is it going?  

Like every responsibility, this role too has its ups and downs. But I firmly believe and have lived out this responsibility like every and any other responsibility I've taken up.  This task is no different or special to me.  I've never craved for position or honour; so I don't have to constantly carry that burden of retaining the post or seeking approval.  But love giving tasks I take up, my best - at least most of the times! 

So, honestly, this role is just another of the responsibility.  I'd be giving my best, in any responsibility I would have been engaged with.  The only question I care about is, if I've giving this task my best. And that I can state, proudly, that I am! 

Having said that, one great blessing that I truly am grateful for is that due to this responsibility, I am gaining the experience of engaging in policy decision-making.  More than the decisions themselves, the rationale and the process that I let myself be guided by and what I push for.  That has been one truly great self-test.  Being able to affect policy decisions, have I let myself be guided by the heart and the head.  I'd say, more by the head than the heart.  But that is what this role demands too!  More head, than the heart.  

Value addition

 In my life over the years, I have seen plenty of young people, especially young seminarians and Salesians.  To be honest, most of them are floaters! Only some are passionate and determined, for the right reasons.  

Floaters or drifters themselves are not bad. They neither do much good nor serious harm.  But if in bad company or in times of decision making or crisis they tilt towards the not-so-good, then it is often downhill from there on.  

As in every group, there are those who are an outright burden on the earth! Real plague! 

Then there are those who show promise.  They are a finders keeper!  They not just complete the given tasks diligently but add value to the place and apostolate they engage themselves in.  They find ways and means of enriching the lives of those around them and in the process add a distinctive flavour to the whole atmosphere.  Living and working with such individuals is more than just a pleasure; it is an inspiration and a challenge.  

Barefoot mum runs 3k race for daughters education

 Ms Ramabai Ranvir, a working mother of two daughters, in Pune (Maharashtra, India), and a widow for the last 14 years, single handedly supporting the education of her daughters, worked another miracle (besides the consistent one already mentioned, as do most mothers!) a few days ago.  

She heard of a prize money of Rs 3,000 (Euros 30) for a race being organised in her vicinity, from her employer (the Police academy).  The previous day her younger daughter, studying in another town, had called her asking for some money to pay her food and rent - and Ms Ramabai had none to spare! So when she heard of the prize money, she hopped onto the pickup vehicle transporting the police aspirants to the race venue.  No prior running practice or experience, wearing a saree, being the only one running without shoes, her slippers giving way during the race forcing her to run barefoot, aged 40+, no breaks on the course... none of these mattered.  Nothing at all! All that mattered was her daughters education, for which the immediate focus was the finish line and the prize! 

And she won!!! She was awarded Rs 5,000/- (Euros 50) instead!

A single parent slogging day and night, saving every penny for her children, with the sole dream of educating them for a better life and future, is itself no ordinary miracle in everyday life.  A miracle most mothers perform, everyday, everywhere, at all times, even without realizing it.  Add this incident to that L  O   N   G  and INVALUABLE miracle list of a mothers determination and courage!