CBCI names Fr. Plathottam as NISCORT director

(May 04, 2012) The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church in India, has appointed Salesian priest, Fr. George Plathottam, the Secretary of CBCI Office for Social Communications (CBCI-OSC), as the new Director of the National Institute of Social Communications Research and Training, NISCORT. The CBCI’s Standing Committee took the decision during its meeting in Bangalore, April 25-27. NISCORT was established as one of the six national centres for social communications of the CBCI. Fr. Plathottam’s appointment comes in the wake of the death on April 14 of Jesuit Fr Jacob Srampickal who was scheduled to take charge as director in June. Fr. Plathottam will continue as Secretary of CBCI’s Office for Social Communications, besides heading NISCORT. He will assume his new post in June when Fr. Jude Botelho ends his term.
Fr. Plathottam, of Guwahati Salesian province, has been serving as the Secretary of the CBCI-OSC since 2008. He holds a PhD in Communications from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong and has three Masters degrees in theology, sociology, and journalism & mass communications. He has served as Director of the Mass Media Department in St Anthony’s College, Shillong, and president of Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA). A long time member of the international committee of consulters on communications of the Salesian Society, he has authored several books and articles on media. NISCORT, situated in Vaishali in the National Capital Region of Delhi, offers three Masters’ Degrees and several diploma and certificate courses in communications. During the past 15 years the centre has trained several media professionals including priests, religious and lay leaders in pastoral communication.