Fr Pascal is another Jesuit who has been an avid social activist with a requisite degree in Rural Development (RD) for credential. At present he heads the Darjeeling Province units of Lok Manch and Training of Trainers. Earlier he was the director of Loyola Vocational Training Centre (LVTC) in Siliguri that imparted computer education both in basics as well as in hardware besides providing Spoken English course to many students from vernacular medium. Prior to that, he work extensively in the Jalpaiguri Dooars tea gardens in the non-formal education sector, establishing dozens of study-aid centres to help weak students and those from remote areas. He has also worked in North Bengal St. Xavier’s College, Rajganj (Dist Jalpaiguri) as. a lecturer and administrator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Rural Development from reputed XISS (Xavier Institute of Social Service), Ranchi , Bachelors Degree in History from Loyola College, Chennai and B.Ed from Loyola College of Education, Namchi, Sikkim.
Fr Lalit comes with varied experience having visited many countries while studying abroad. He has had good experience in administration while working at St. Joseph’s College, North Point Darjeeling where, besides teaching he was the director of all the self-financing departments. In the past he has taught in different schools and a minor seminary. Prior to joining the social action team as the director of newly established centre, he served in the college of for about 8 years. During that period, he completed his Ph.D in Development Economics from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar in 2013. He possesses a Masters’ Degree in Natural Resource Management (MNRM) from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada and a Bachelor’s in Science (Zoology) from Loyola College (Autonomous), Chennai. Besides this, he also has a Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed) from Loyola College of Education Namchi, Sikkim. He has participated in many national and international seminars and conferences/symposiums and has presented papers while also writing articles in some peer-reviewed journals. He has to his credit a book titled, “Can the garden be my home? Land, Livelihood and Life-world of Tea gardens in North Bengal”. As well, he has contributed chapters in three well known books. Presently he is the principal of North Bengal St. Xavier’s College Rajganj and an associate Director of HLDRC.
Fr Alvin comes with a vast experience in the social field and is the first Jesuit from the Darjeeling Province with the Master’s Degree in Social Work from reputed Nirmala Niketan College under the University of Bombay. In his long career as a social worker/activist he, along with some other social activists had spearheaded the demand for train service between Alipurduar to Ranchi for easier travel of North Bengal Adivasi. That dream was fulfilled when in 1998 after a yearlong signature campaign ‘Alipurduar-Ranchi Express’ was pressed into service. He was also involved in voicing the demand for proper settlement of the tea garden workers of Chandmuni in the wake of government’s drive to evict people to make a township at the place. After having served in another social centre Jesu Ashram as project director he joined the HLDRC and heads the social development unit that has been producing variety of handloom products. Presently he works at St. Vicent’s Higher secondary school Hatighisa and also in Development works at the place. He is also an associate member of HLDRC in social Action Programs.
