History of St. Chavara

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara was an Indian Catholic priest and social reformer. He was born on 10 February 1805 at Kainakary, Kerala. Chavara was a social reformer who initiated reforms in the Kerala.

 He played a major role in educating and uplifting people especially of the lower ranks of society.He started an institution for Sanskrit studies at Kerala in 1846 and he took the initiative to start a school in a nearby villages.

St. Chavara was the first Indian who not only dared to admit the untouchables to schools but also provided them with Sanskrit education which was forbidden to the lower castes, thereby challenging social bans based on caste, as early as the former part of the 19th century.

KuriakoseChavara introduced midday meals in the schools especially for the Dalits and poor children. It was his original idea. It inspired many to implement midday meal in all government run schools. This practice is continued even today in government schools in India.

Saint Chavara found that without proper education none of his efforts for the renewal of the Church and the transformation of the society would be effective.

He understood the importance of Sanskrit in the cultural background of our country. He welcomed the students irrespective of caste and creed, rich and poor.

Kuriakose Elias Chavara died on 3 January 1871, aged 66. Holy Father Pope Francis declared Kuriakose Elias Chavara a saint on 23 November 2014.