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Nitika - Don Bosco | KOLKATA
Diocese: Kolkata (1976) 1977 - St. Joseph
Activities: Catechetical and Communication Centre, Neighbourhood Services, Night School, Adult Education, Counselling Services, Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service.
Nitika Don Bosco
52A R.N. Chowdhury Road,
Kolkata - 700 015
Phone:(033) 2329 1315 - House
(033) 2329 1221 - House
(033) 2329 3040 - Rector
(033) 2328 3639 - Counselling Services
(033) 2328 3641 / 98311 31482 - Catechetical Director
(033) 2328 3638/ 98302 37998 - Youth Director
98300 48033 - Renewal Ministry
E-mail:leonardrobin@vsnl.net - Rector
cmpaul@vsnl.com - Director Catechetics
frjosesdb@hotmail.com - Delegate Youth Ministry
ccrs@vsnl.net - Coordinator Renewal Ministry
History:
When the house of the Catholic Orphan Press was relinquished in 1972, the Salesians were on the lookout for a place to set up the Printing School. Coupled with it was the desire to launch a Catechetical and Multimedia Centre which could fulfill the vital need for training Salesians, other Religious and the general public to be more effective in their mission of being 'signs and bearers of the love of God.' Thus was born Nitika, meaning "place of Religious Experience".
Nitika Don Bosco has had a rather chequered history since its beginning. The School of Graphic Arts with its printing press and training centre was begun in 1976. The Catechetical Centre was inaugurated on 1 June 1977 with the name 'Don Bosco Catechetical and Multimedia Centre' (DBCMMC). In 1977, a two-year training course, the Magistero, for Salesian Brothers was also started here, and later shifted to Kalyani in 1982. In 1986 DBCMMC was re-christened with an Indian name – Nitika.
In 1988, a new block was added to Nitika to promote catechetical services on a bigger scale. A Youth Animation Office was also set up from which YCS animation in Calcutta city was taken care of. The following year, Children's Aid Calcutta (CAC) was allotted space on the first floor of the old block. When CAC was discontinued, Don Bosco Development Office Calcutta (DBDOC) took its place in 2000.
1990 began with the closure of the unviable Don Bosco School of Graphic Arts and opening of a new printing school in New Delhi as the new site offered better job opportunities to the trainees. Later when Fr. Peter Lourdes returned to the Province from NVSC, Pune, Counselling services too were begun to be offered from Nitika.
In 1992 a non-formal school was opened at Nitika as part of Neighbourhood services. Literacy and tuition classes are offered to children of the neighbourhood. In 1996 the Salesian cooperators were provided space for setting up their administrative office in the building. More or less at the same time the first floor of both the old and new wings was set-aside for the Youth Animation Services of the province.
Today it is a Catechetical and Social Communications Centre, the Provincial Youth Animation Centre, a Counselling Centre, Office of the DBDOC, a Sales Department for Catechetical and Audio-Visual material, and a Non-formal Educational Centre, all in the same complex. Office facilities for the Salesian Cooperators are also provided by the Community of Nitika.
Catechetics and Communications:
Nitika conducts seminars, animation programmes for teachers, catechists and youth leaders at the centre as well as in dioceses, parishes and schools. Audio Visual aids are made available.
Neighbourhood ministry reaching out to about 800 poor children through Non-formal school and tuition, Spoken English classes, Medical and nutritional care of patients affected by Tuberculosis and Care of youth at risk (street/working children) on Saturdays are other works of interest.
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HOUSES IN PROVINCE