(ANS – Itanagar) – Bishop John Thomas Kattrukudiyil of Itanagar released the first New Testament in the Nyishi language on 2 October 2014, on the occasion of the Diocesan Fraternity Convention of Northeast India held at Itanagar. Some 200 priests, religious, archbishops of Shillong, Guwahati and Imphal, as well as Bishops of Tezpur, Kohima and Agartala joined lay leaders and civil dignitaries of the region for the celebration.
The parish priest of St John Bosco parish Doimukh, Fr Sebastian Thuruthiyil SDB, and his team made the translation of the New Testament. “It has taken us about six years to get the final text ready,” says Fr. Sebastian. The Fiat Mission of Angamali, Kerala, did the lay out and printing of the New Testament.
Shri Bamang Felix, the Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, launched the Bible and presented the first copy to Bishop John Thomas of Itanagar. “We are fortunate to have the Word of God in our local language because of the missionaries,” said the Parliamentarian Shri Felix. He also commented on the great contribution of the Catholic Church in imparting value-based quality education and rural healthcare.
The whole programme was arranged by Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association to facilitate the Bishops and priests of Northeast India, most of them coming to Arunchal Pradesh for the first time.
The Nyishi people are the single largest tribe of Arunachal Pradesh and their language is spoken by over 300,000 people spread in the districts of Lower Subansiri, Papum Pare, Kurung Kume, East Kameng, and parts of Upper Subansiri in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the 2011 Census, Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 1384,000, an increase from figure of 1098,000 in 2001 census.
Fr Kulandaisamy of Tezpur diocese started the first mission for Nyishi people in 1977 at Harmutty, a border town in Assam.
Newly ordained Salesian Fr Jose Chemparathy took over the mission among the Nyishi people in 1981 and did extensive work among them for over 25 years.
Published on 08/10/2014
