My AICUF days……!

• AICUF, All India Catholic University Federation, started a unit in Poonthura, Trivandrum – my birth village – by early seventies (1973 around). It was facilitated by Jesuit priests. It aimed at to promote social awareness, leadership, Catholic values, etc among the youth. The liberation theology, the political movement in Latin America with a radical version of Christ, had strong influence on the priests, who facilitated this organization. The AUCUF organization and its radical approach were also socially relevant in the then existing socio-political conext: the youth getting attracted to Communism, Naxal extremism (radical communism), evasive and irresponsible life styles of the youth, influenced by literature of existential philosophy, etc. It was the first unit in this region starting in a village, unlike other AICUF units, being in College campuses. Still, the admission was limited to college-going students and to those, who passed SSLC (High School). That time, I started my first- year college (Pre-degree, two years; the present day Plus two) at Mar Ivanios College, Nalanchira, Trivandrum. The St.Joseph’s High School, where I did my High School classes and this Mar Ivanios College were top-ranking educational institutions in Kerala. Hence, getting the admission was difficult, thanks to my uncle (Antony Mammen) Antony Dores, the then Councilor.
• These three factors – the St Joseph’s School, the Mar Ivanios College and the AICUF – thus created the mindset of ‘creamy’ within and among others on us. AICUF days moulded the strong sense of social awareness, social analysis, leadership…..I became very active. While, at second year Pre-degree, I functioned as the unit Secretary. The five days workshop camp in Poonthura became a turning point in the social life of many participants: John Fernandez, Antony Raju Ex MLA, his brother A.J. Vijayan, Adv. Jerome Fernandez, Sheela Razario, Dr. Raimon (Neurologist), Basil Fernandez, Blossy Fernandez, Deena Stephen, Nimca, etc were in that Camp. Study workshops, Cleaning the village (at the time of epidemic of diareah, dysentry, malaria, etc), evening cultural programs, etc were the highlights of that Camp. For me, it was a new and thrilling experience of learning new things, meeting people from outside the village, etc. Most of the participants of this Camp emerged more active in the socio-political movements  such as the Fish workers movement, Environmental movements, etc, and as the leaders in the political parties. This group under the leadership of Fr.Paul Valiakandathil and John Fernandez organized a massive census-survey – a socio-economic study – during the mid 70s, done by about 100 youths, including me (the findings of that survey may be refered in my PhD Thesis).
• John Fernandez then opted to reside in Poonthura to initiate the socio-educational programs. The Brazilian educational thinker Paulo Freire (his book ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed) and his concept of ‘Conscientization’ that challenging the conventional ‘banking type’ of educational system, had influenced heavily this initiative. I was a regular visitor at John’s ‘hut’ (John, eventually became one of the most influential personalities in my social-life). He went to Nigeria as a Teacher. After his return, he joined as the Training Coordinator in PCO, while I was working or ‘struggling’ as the Managing Editor of ‘Theerasabdam’ (Coastal Voice), the magazine, owned by the FIDES Center and Fr Paul Valiakandathil as the Publisher. I accepted his and PCO’s invitation to join with him in PCO as the Training Animator in 1984, in the project for training the fish workers and the coastal youth. This project was funded by CAPART, Govt of India…
• Poonthura at that time was one of the most marginalized coastal villages. Personally, these philosophical concepts made me more critical on the establishments and on the then existing educational system. So, i had to pay a heavy personal price for being anti-mainstreaming and social mobility, especially in the context of my family constraints. Later, John’s living in a hut in Poonthura led to the formation of the non-profit organization, under the auspices of Jesuit priests, mainly Fr. Paul Valiakandathil, the FIDES CENTER (Fishermen Development and Studies Center). Fr. Paul at that time was the Lecturer in English, St.Xaviers College, Thumba. Later, he resigned and fully involved in the FIDES and the coastal projects ( I may prepare a write up on Fr Paul later).

• I had also participated many seminars and camps. Most important among them was the 10 days SALT Camp (Social Awareness and Leadership Training) at Jesuit Centre, Malaparamba, Calicut. That also influenced a lot in forming the personality and attitude.
• In 1978, while I was studying the third year B.A. (Mar Ivanios College), I was elected as the Regional President of AICUF.
• Now, when i look back on those days of hyper social activism, a youngster brought up by a single-mother of eight children, AICUF-FIDES-Jesuits could have also mould us (failed to mould us because disproportionate focus on the social awareness?), to be financially self-reliant through promoting different non-traditional professions and professional education; i mean the process of ‘the social-mobility (educational-occupational and the spatial mobility) among this marginalized community’ – theme of my PhD Thesis! – at least among the educated youth, who embraced AICUF  . Instead, it remained more as an extention activity of the Jesuits, making the Catholic youth of that generation more hyper-critical, but apolitical that kept us away from the mainstreaming…..which I later realized and fixed after a decade!

 I invite other ex-AICUFers to share their experiences and reflections here….(i shall add the comments and uploading provisions in all sections soon!)