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  • Amruthavani Logo, designed by Father Christopher Coelho OFM. I began by calling the Centre the AP Catholic Information Centre, but on the advice of Catholic MP GS Reddy, I decided to seek a truly Indian name with deep significance. To elicit many suggestions, I ran a competition. From the 60+ suggestions that came in, I selected Amruthavani for the following reasons: Vani - 'Sound', etc. - indicated the Centre's role in communication. Amrutha literally means 'immortal' from Sanskrit 'a-mruth'. It also means nectar, heavenly food, etc. Ultimately Amruthavani refers to Christ's message. This is also indicated by the two hands in the logo: the wounds in the hands show them to be Christ's. The top hand indicates teaching. The bottom hand indicates mercy, generosity, giving. width:480;;height:480
  • Amruthavani building for which I obtained funding by "Kom Over de Brug" (Netherlands), Swiss Lenten Fund and MISSIO (Germany). width:640;;height:453
  • This is the back part of the building in which the Amruthavani offices were housed. The front part of the building was rented out as commercial office space to create a revenue for Amruthavani. width:353;;height:480
  • The Indian prayer room in which Amruthavani staff used to gather for daily prayers and for a weekly Eucharist. The painting of Christ was done by Father Christopher Coelho OFM. width:640;;height:441
  • The Indian 'deepam' - oil lamp with five wicks that took the place of the traditional candles on western altars. width:336;;height:480
  • Myself presiding at the weekly Eucharist. Executive Director Raymond Ambrose is sitting on my right. Notice the shawls which were used as Eucharistic vestments. width:640;;height:465
  • Staff members of Amruthavani attending the weekly Eucharistic service. width:640;;height:470
  • View of the Eucharist on another occasion. width:640;;height:439
  • Flanked by Fr Raymond Ambrose, I receive the offertory gifts. The persons offering the gifts are first Thumma George, then Thomas Kunnil. width:640;;height:442
  • Others in the offertory procession were Sr Clare, Mr P Joseph and Mr K Jose. width:640;;height:430
  • Here I distribute holy communion. I used to walk out to the congregation and pass from person to person, imitating customs of Indian hospitality. The communicant would take a host from the paten, dip it in the chalice and give herself communion. width:640;;height:457
  • Staff photograph of Amruthavani at my farewell function in September 1976. They represented 12 departments, some of which will be introduced on photographs that follow. width:640;;height:383
  • Father M M Balaguer SJ whom I persuaded to take over from me as Director General. Fr Balaguer had already served in distinguished posts, such as being Rector of St Xavier's College in (then) Bombay. width:328;;height:480
  • Myself sitting in my Amruthavani office in 1976. I was then Deputy Director General and Planning Director. width:330;;height:480
  • I am speaking at a public meeting. Like other priests at the time, I wore the white Indian shirt known as a 'khurta'. width:640;;height:440
  • Fr Raymond Ambroise, Executive Director of Amruthavani. Much of the success of Amruthavani in subsequent years was due to his work. width:640;;height:442
  • Fr Christopher Coelho OFM, creative artist and composer of religious songs. He headed Amruthavani's Film Department. He wrote the script for Amruthavanis film "Karunamayudu", the 2-hour long feature film on the life of Christ that was screened in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. The film was a blockbuster success for many years. In some cinemas it ran for 14 months. width:640;;height:439
  • Fr Raymond Ambrose, Sr Venanzia of general administration and the accountants Mr P Joseph and Mr K Jose. width:640;;height:465
  • Sr Suzunne Vermoortele ICM, in charge of the Amruthavani News Feature Service. width:640;;height:460
  • Brother Hubert de By MHM, who oversaw the construction of Amruthavani. He was also a gifted photographer and team leader and headed our TV Department. width:233;;height:480
  • Sr Basilia SC and Miss Mary Alphonsa doing administration in the Correspondence Course Department. Adverts were put in Telugu newspapers through which inquirers could inscribe for one of the five correspondence courses Amruthavani offered at the time. width:640;;height:447
  • Mr Chinnappa and Mr Jwakim were in charge of regularly despatching sections of the correspondence courses to the various subscribers. width:640;;height:452
  • The Editorial Department worked both at producing new booklets and pamphlets, and at writing articles for the Telugu weekly 'Bharata Mithram'. We see Mrs Sarvalakshmi, Mr Naresh, Mr MD Vincent and Mr Chinnaiah at work. They were talented writers. width:640;;height:451
  • In the Personal Correspondence Department Sr Paulus JMJ replied to questions raised by those following our correspondence courses. Obviously, when needed, more staff members were involved. width:640;;height:458
  • At the same time Amruthavani was running a peace and justice campaign known as "Dharma Vijayamu" - 'Victory for what is Right'. This consisted in placing cartoons in Telugu newspapers, followed up by Dharma Vijayamu literature despatched to inquirers. Sr Xavier worked in this department. width:640;;height:457
  • In the TV Department Sr Clare DSP is putting the finishing touch to a doll to be used in a forthcoming puppet play to be displayed on All India TV. width:640;;height:449
  • Again in the TV Department Mrs Rajyalakshmi is preparing to use a doll specially created for an instructional puppet play. width:640;;height:450
  • The TV studio is being prepared for a shooting session. Notice the presenter standing before a map of India which still needs to be raised in position next to her. width:310;;height:480
  • Fr Aloysius Jesurajan SJ head of the Research Department, talking to Sr Venanzia. width:640;;height:456
  • Father Jesurajan in our Radio Studio where Telugu programmes were prepared for broadcast to Andhra Pradesh from Radio Manila. Here are two new persons in training. width:640;;height:424
  • Brother Cyriac SG, in charge of the "Nishkama Karmamu" - 'Interfaith Dialogue' campaign, talking to creative writer MD Vincent. width:640;;height:455
  • Fr Thumma George, editor of the weekly BHARATA MITHRAM, talking to me. Bharata Mithram was the Telugu Catholic weekly for the ten dioceses of Andhra Pradesh. width:640;;height:454
  • Three creative Telugu translators and writers for Bharata Mithram: Sr Jacintha CSSA, Mr Anand and Mr Yesupadam. width:640;;height:443
  • Sr Anasthasia FMM, head of the Audio Visual Department, involved in producing audio-visual slides for catechesis. width:640;;height:454
  • Amruthavani opened a Training Department to give courses on communication for the top classes of secondary schools in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This shows the opening function with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh lighting the ceremonial lamp. Fr Balaguer looks on. width:458;;height:480
  • The three instructors in the Training Department were teachers Miss Cecilia Dass, Mr Nirmal Kumar and Miss Sheila Harry. width:640;;height:441
  • Fr Raymond Ambrose, flanked by Brother Hubert de By, handing a certificate to a student of the communications' training course. width:600;;height:480
  • Miss Vijayananda, Amruthavani receptionist. width:640;;height:458
  • Amruthavani, typists' pool. From left to right: Mrs Thumma Josephine (Telugu typescript), Mrs Irene Edwards and Thomas Kunnil (English typescript). width:640;;height:440
  • Sr Venanzia with Amruthavani office boys, & household, maintenance and security staff. width:640;;height:475
  • On 14th of September 1976 a public farewell function for me was organized at Amruthavani, with representatives from St John's Regional Seminary, the Conference of Religious of India, Jyothirmai and Jeevan Jyothi. Here participants are seen gathering before the event. width:640;;height:457
  • View of the panel at the final farewell. Fr Balaguer speaks a word of welcome. width:640;;height:454
  • A view of the audience at the public farewell meeting. width:640;;height:442
  • Archbishop Samineni Arulappa, Archbishop of Hyderabad, addresses the farewell meeting. width:640;;height:439
  • Another section of the audience. width:592;;height:480
  • During my farewell address I released the Telugu course on Christian Marriage prepared by Amruthavani. width:640;;height:438
  • Myself showing the cassette with spoken texts and songs which were part of the course on Christian Marriage. width:640;;height:454
  • Yet another view of the audience. Notice the presence of women religious. I was Moderator of the Women's Section of the AP Conference of Religious and founder of the Jeevan Jyothi Theological Institute for Religious. width:640;;height:451
  • A snapshot of some participants sharing the 'tea and cakes' presented after the public farewell meeting. width:640;;height:446
  • Myself talking afterwards with Fr P D Varkey, executive secretary of Jyotirmai, Sr Paulus of the Personal Correspondence department and Mr Thomas Kunnil. width:640;;height:443
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