When Rt. Rev. Theophane O’Prem, Bishop of Jabalpur Diocese invited M.P. Jesuits to Shahdol (from Kotma to Umaria) District for extending Jesuit work among the Gonds as it was going on in neighbouring Koreya District in 1993, Fr. Provincial appointed me to initiate that work there. Jabalpur Diocese also offered Kotma as a base to start that work. The property had been bought by the Diocese already.

In 1994 the Jesuits started a small Hindi Medium School in a shed. In 1995-96 when the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes started their community in Kotma, it was decided by the Diocese to hand over the educational activities to the sisters through an English Medium school. Thus St. Joseph’s Convent School was started with 8 students. Now it has grown into a senior Secondary School from K.G. to XII with about 1800 students. I was a personal companion to the sisters sharing their agonies and ecstasies in its growth up to now.

I wish them all success in their climb to excellence and higher goals of better and innovative education and complete development of each student.
May God bless you!

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Fr. Antony Parapullil SJ