Soroj Mullick SDB –
Kolkata: The mega hall of Nitika Don Bosco came alive at 5 p.m. as DB SERVE children gathered to celebrate the feast of St John Bosco with an evening of colour, music, dance, and heartfelt gratitude.
True to Don Bosco’s famous invitation to the young — “Run, jump, but do not sin” — the programme highlighted the cultural dimension of human formation that he so strongly desired, blending wholesome enjoyment with deep value-based messages.
The celebration began with a warm welcome and a brief introduction to the spirit of Don Bosco, who taught that “it is enough that you are young for me to love you.” Linking faith with history. also recalled Peace Day and the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, inviting the children to reflect on non-violence, reconciliation, and the call to build a just society. The anchors compering in both Bengali and Hindi moved smoothly without repetition or mechanical translation, allowing every child and guest to participate with ease.
A rich sequence of cultural items followed, with a predominance of value-based dances that expressed themes of prayer, brotherhood, fraternity, and peace. Items such as “Mongoldeep” and creative pieces on deshottwabodh (love of the homeland) showcased the youngsters’ pride in their identity and their desire for harmony among multi-faith communities. While the new generation often shows “passion without compassion” through excessive smartphone use and self-cenetred lifestyles, the performances gently invited them to rediscover concern for others and genuine human connection.
The programme also featured songs and a short, thought-provoking skit centered on life’s eternal values of brotherhood, reconciliation, love, peace and harmony. Don Bosco’s radical call of, “Give me soul, take away the rest” was presented in a way that children could understand as choosing truth, honesty, and purity over easy compromises. In another segment, the young performers were encouraged to “dream youthful dreams,” echoing Don Bosco’s own use of dreams as a language of vocation, hope, and God’s guidance in life. The hours spent in practice, rehearsals, and coordination were highlighted as a school of discipline, teamwork, and intellectual growth, showing that cultural activities are not a distraction from formation but an integral path to it.
A significant moment of the evening was the farewell offered to the Madhyamik (Class 10) students who attend coaching and formation at Nitika. A girl representative, with a choking voice and tears in her eyes underlined that Nitika Don Bosco is not just a study centre or a place to “enjoy,” but a space where young people discover self-confidence, values, and their God-given talents. Many students testified that here teachers are like “didi, mother, friend, and guide,” embodying Don Bosco’s preventive system of loving presence rather than harsh control.
In his address, Fr. I.C. Jacob, the Rector, reminded the students that Don Bosco is happy because they are part of this institute, receiving not only tuition but also many learning moments that touch mind and heart. He invited them to show veneration and respect to Don Bosco by living the values they receive and by carrying forward the spirit of service. He expressed appreciation for the well-prepared items and the tireless efforts of Br Lawrence and the entire teaching team, stressing that gratitude is a sign and proof that we are walking in Don Bosco’s path. He also prayed that the outgoing Madhyamik students may progress in life, using their gifts for the good of society.
The celebration included a brief felicitation and prize distribution, recognising the best students both for academic performance and for special talents displayed in dance, music, and leadership. This recognition underlined Don Bosco’s conviction that education must help each young person discover and develop their physical, intellectual, emotional, and cultural gifts in a holistic way. Empowering teachers and students to take initiative was visible in the way they planned, led, and executed the entire programme.
As the evening drew to a close, the atmosphere in the hall reached a joyful climax with the centenary anthem of the Kolkata Province. The children performed a live dance to the anthem, celebrating “a hundred years of love” and Salesian presence, (this original dance performance was video-recorded as an official version for the centenary). The closing moments brought together movement, music, and mission, reminding everyone present that Don Bosco’s dream continues wherever the young are loved, accompanied, and formed through culture, creativity, and faith.
DB SERVE has 17 staff, under the abled guidance of Bro. Lawrence Mondol SDB, including 12 tutors and support personnel, who accompany 683 boys and girls each day from the locality, slums and peripheries, serving them through education and social charity. Nitika Don Bosco today is far more than a tuition centre; it is a catechetical and social communications hub, a youth animation space and a platform for social outreach in the Tangra–Tiljala belt, consistently reaching out to children and families at the margins.
Through DB SERVE, the house has become a “second home” and safe learning space, where structured study support, mentoring and value education go hand in hand with cultural and spiritual formation, in the spirit of Don Bosco’s preventive system.
The presence of DB DOC on the same campus links DB SERVE to a wider network of social development initiatives for the dignity of underprivileged communities, while the state level DB Tech India office and centre offer three month skill training courses in hospitality, assistant cook and beautician trades, with life skills and on the job exposure leading to real employment opportunities.
Over three decades, this integrated ecosystem has quietly transformed families and neighbourhoods and remains a concrete expression of Don Bosco’s dream in Kolkata: an open, welcoming house where especially the poorest young find support to study, space to grow and a path to a more hopeful future.