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"Isabhakti Paramjnanam"
"Isabhakti Paramjnanam"
Devotion to God is the Supreme Wisdom
Dharmaram College, a major study house of the CMI Congregation, was replanted in Bangalore on 1st June, 1957. The name 'Dharmaram' is a combination of two Sanskrit words, dharma (virtue) and aram (garden), which together means the 'Garden of Virtues'. Dharmaram is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the motto is 'Isabhakti Paramjnanam' (Love of God is the Supreme Wisdom). Dharmaram aims at educating people who are prepared to commit themselves to the service of the Church and the world, which is accomplished through a holistic, spiritual, intellectual and cultural formation.
OUR INSPIRATION
OUR INSPIRATION
St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara is the inspirational presence behind founding the first Indian indigenous religious Congregation, the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). On 23 November 2014, he was canonized at Saint Peter's Square by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis stated that, Father Kuriakose Elias was a religious, both active and contemplative, who generously gave his life for the Syro-Malabar Church, putting into action the maxim:
“Sanctification of Oneself and the Salvation of All"
The Congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) is the first indigenous religious congregation in the Catholic Church of India.
Fr. Thomas Palackal, Fr. Thomas Porukara and Fr. Kuriakose Chavara of the Syro-Malabar Church of apostolic origin, felt that “a lot of good had not been done due to the absence of a Thapasu Bhavanam (House of Discipline) and a Darsana Veedu (House of Vision)”. They had the utmost vision of providing spiritual leadership and fostering unity and growth in the Kerala Church.
At present the Congregation has about 3000 members including 08 bishops, 2009 priests, 14 brothers and 1100 brothers in formation. More than half of the priests are working outside Kerala, of whom about 367 are doing pastoral services in 34 countries around the world.
Fr. Prior General: Fr. Paul Achandy CMI
Fr. Prior General: Fr. Paul Achandy CMI
Rev. Fr. Paul Achandy was elected Prior General of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate on 19 March 2026. He was born on 19 May 1963 in Thrissur and was ordained a priest in 1992. He holds an MBA from North Maharashtra University and a doctorate in management from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, specializing in strategic human resource management. His earlier roles include heading the Department of Management Studies at Christ College, Bengaluru, serving as Provincial of the Devamatha Province, Thrissur, Director of Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, and Rector of Dharmaram College, Bengaluru.
Rector: Fr. Saju Chackalackal CMI
Rector: Fr. Saju Chackalackal CMI
Rev. Fr. Saju Chackalackal assumed the office of the Rector of Dharmaram College on 4 May 2026. He was born on 21 February 1965. He is an Indian author and Professor of Philosophy at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (Pontifical Athanaeum), Bengaluru. He is a Kantian scholar who obtained a PhD in Philosophy from Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome. Formerly, he was the chief editor of the Journal of Dharma. He has authored many books and articles. He was instrumental in preparing a number of course materials for Indira Gandhi National Open University, Delhi. He was the General Councillor for Evangelization and Pastoral ministry of the CMI Congregation during 2016-2020. He had been the Provincial of Preshitha Province, Coimbatore, for two terms consecutively.
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