Fr. Srampickal to head Indian bishops' media training institute, NISCORT

February 28, 2012: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) has announced the appointment of veteran communication professor Fr Jacob Srampickal as the director of NISCORT, the media training institute of CBCI. He succeeds Father Jude Botelho.
Currently professor of Communications Studies at Gregorian University Rome, Fr Srampickal is expected to take charge in June.
The priest, has penned 15 books, including Understanding Communication (1982), Power of People’s Theatre (1994), Babel to Babri Masjid and Beyond (2003).
Fr Srampickal holds a doctors degree in Development Communication from the University of Leeds, England (1987-91) as well as four major diplomas in communications from India.
The priest, who wears many hats, was part of the ecumenical jury at four international film festivals (Montreal, Leeds,Venice, Berlin).
From 2005, Fr Srampickal has been a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications.
Fr Srampickal said that he would try to develop courses "that are relevant and meaningful to students so that they can find their place in the mainstream media.”
The 62-year-old also stressed the need to have “more streams of long-term courses, and use the resources in personnel we have in the church for training.”
“Fr Jacob’s six-year experience as director of Communications Studies in Rome and exposure to European academics will definitely help NISCORT to make giant leaps,” said Fr John Noronha, who along with Fr Srampickal co-founded the mass media institute. Jesuit Father Srampickal was the first dean of the National Institute of Social Communications Research and Training (NISCORT).