From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 30: In a path-breaking initiative, the Catholic Church has embarked on a mission to identify, nurture and promote young talents for leadership roles in society in diverse fields such as civil services, professionals, media and fine arts as well as entrepreneurs and even political life through Career Advance Programme (CAP) India.

The CAP India initiative, which was formally inaugurated by the Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernard Moras, who is also the President of Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council, by symbolically lighting the lamp at the sprawling National Biblical, Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) campus of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), is being managed by the Youth Activ8 Foundation of the CBCI Youth Council.

The Archbishop later inaugurated the Bangalore office of CAP India at the NBCLC campus along with Bishop Vincent Mar Paulose of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Marthandom and member-Bishop of CBCI Youth Commission, which incidentally is headed by Bishop Henry D’Souza of Bellary Diocese, the brain and guiding spirit behind the ambitious programme.

The CAP India initiative, which is now being made available to students of Karnataka starting from Standard VII to Graduation level in nine different grades with two semesters in each year and proposed to be extended to the national level in due course, will have an elaborate syllabus modelled on the National Science Talent Search (NSTS) Programme along with those of CBSE and ICSE as well as the State besides a special focus on ethics and current affairs. The candidates, who will have to register themselves online by payment of a nominal fee, will have to prepare themselves based on the subjects and text books mentioned the CAP India website and appear for two tests to be conducted online at specified centres.

The details and procedures will be mentioned in the CAP India website, www.capindia.co. Top scoring students in each grade with marks of 95 % and above will be eligible for a cash prize and certificate besides the possible opportunity to enrol themselves for intensive training and coaching at specialised centres after the degree level.

The dynamic and energetic Bishop Henry D’Souza explained the broad outline, aims and objectives of CAP India and said: "Preparing tomorrow’s leaders, today, for leadership roles and positions in society, spiritual, professional, political, media, fine arts as well as entrepreneurial class is the need of the hour. We have to identify and groom young talents to become leaders, achievers and transformers of society."

Retired IAS Officer and former Secretary to the President of India, Dr Christy Fernandez, who is the founder chairman of Kerala’s renowned Triune Excell Career Academy, and Archbishop Bernard Moras warmly appreciated the challenging task undertaken by Bishop Henry and felt such initiatives were necessary if Catholics and Christians have to make their presence felt in a multi-religious and diverse country like India.

Dr Fernandez said promised his full support for whatever help and guidance that may be required as CAP India initiative is truly a great challenge, a lofty dream and daunting mission. The target of enrolling 5,000 students for different grades in the next six months, when the first semester examination is proposed to be conducted, can be realised with massive efforts, meticulous planning and motivation at different levels of the Church from the parishes and educational institutions. Identifying and preparing the students and providing them with specialised coaching to crack the civil services examinations or simply in entrepreneurship requires dedicated effort and wholehearted support from all sections of the community, he said.

Archbishop Moras said the KRCBC had taken up career advancement programme in Karnataka twelve years ago and the effort was continued. The CAP India initiative conceived and executed under the leadership of Bishop Henry is a massive exercise on a larger scale, he said assured his support, prayers and blessings.

The newly appointed Bishop of the Syro-Malankara Diocese of Mandya Rev Anthony Kariyil, Msgr S Jayanathan, Fr Faustine Lobo, PMS National Director, Mangalore MLA J R Lobo, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Chairman Roy Castelino, FKCA Chairman Edward D’Souza, Business leader and educationist Antony D’Souza, Film Federation of India National Vice President Thomas D’Souza, ICYM National Council’s Raymond D’Souza, former FKCCI Chairman Jacob Crasta, leading philanthropist Michael D’Souza and many other dignitaries were among the large cross-section of the audience.

The first batch of 10 students from different schools in the city came forward to enrol themselves and were accorded a cheerful applause.

Alan D’Souza, founder and CEO of Vavia Technologies Pvt Ltd, gave a presentation on the salient features of CAP India initiative. Fr Deepak Thomas, National Director ICYM, proposed a vote of thanks.