Mar James
Kalacherry, who was the Bishop of Changanacherry
During 1927-1949, was a great prelate of singular personality characterised by deep faith, strong convictions, rare pastoral zeal and courageous actions. He founded the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (MCBS) and the Catholic Action Group of the diocese.
Mar James Kalacherry was a person of deep spirituality as well. It was he who saw a budding saint in Blessed Sr. Alphonsa. He was a friend of the poor and a guide of those who were working in the mission field.He did his best to help the Christian families that had migrated to the Malabar area. He fought ideals of Christian Education with an indomitable spirit. In 1945, when Sir
C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, the then Diwan of Travancore decided to nationalise all schools, Mar James Kalacherry opposed this move courageously and met with success.Realising the poignant need for educating women in nation building, he decided to start and laid foundation for Assumption College, exclusively for women, in central Travancore on 12th August 1949. However, the College started functioning during the period of Mar. Mathew Kavukattu who became the first patron of the College. The powerful impact Assumption has made in the socio-cultural scenario of Kerala through the empowered and enlightened women educated in this institution, is an ample proof of the relevance and importance of the bold steps taken by Mar. James Kalacherry and Mar Mathew Kavukattu. It is a matter of great pride for us that the college that started functioning almost as an annexe to St. Berchman’s College in the academic year 1950-51, with a strength of 358 women students has now grown into a full-fledged first grade college with more than 2000 students in the 14 degree courses, 6 Post graduate courses and other courses in the diverse
streams.
