Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB awarded ICPA – Fr Louis Careno Award 2020 for Excellence in Journalism
New Delhi, 29 February 2020: Supreme Court Judge Justice Kurian Joseph (Rtd), presented the Indian Catholic Press Association’s (ICPA) prestigious Father Louis Joseph CarenoAward in Journalism for the year 2020 to Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati at the 25th National Convention of Christian Journalists on February 29, 2020, held at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Okla, in New Delhi, India. The topic for the Silver Jubilee edition of the convention was “Journalism Today: Pragmatism Triumphs over Principles.” The esteemed guests included Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of Delhi; Bishop Salvadore Lobo of Baruipur, and a host of diplomats, dignitaries and nearly 100 media persons from across the country attending the programme.
Addressing the gathering after receiving the award, Archbishop Emeritus Menamparampil spoke about the importance of dissent, its legitimacy and its need for the emergence of common wisdom. He also urged the members of the audience to engage in intelligent dialogue for the truth to emerge eventually. The Salesian Archbishop Thomas believes in social activism and is a firm believer of peace-building and social harmony who often repeats, “Peace comes when all of us recognize that we need each other.”
This award is given for his relentless peace-activism and his bold writing against Communalism and fundamentalism gaining ground globally. Archbishop Menamparampil’s name is synonymous with peace, inter-community dialogue and social harmony. His incisive, though-provoking writing on these subjects are noted for their lucidity, clarity, relevance and authenticity. His razor-sharp analyses of social-cultural and political issues, especially relating to North-East have ledto soul-searching debates and concrete peace-initiatives, for which he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. The Father Louis Careno Award is instituted by the (ICPA) with the support of the Salesian Province of Mumbai in fond memory of Fr Louis Careno, a Salesian missionary who worked in Indian for several years, himself a renowned writer.
