I first saw Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, C.S.C., in 1987, when I was studying in Class IX at Holy Cross School, Agartala. He was then serving as the Vice-Principal. Like many other students of Holy Cross, I gradually came to know him and, over time, felt very close to him—not only as a teacher and administrator, but also as a guide and priest.
After completing my graduation, I joined our family printing business, New Manikya Press. Holy Cross School was one of our regular patrons, and through my work I once again came into close contact with Fr. Emmanuel. By then, he had become the Principal.
It was a remarkable period in the history of Holy Cross School—a time of tremendous transformation. The playground was being renovated, boundary walls were under construction, and changes were taking shape across the campus. The famous entrance to Holy Cross School, the Millennium Gate 2000, was also constructed during his tenure.
But Fr. Emmanuel’s vision was never confined to bricks, walls or physical infrastructure. At the same time, another very special idea was taking shape in his creative mind—a school magazine that would eventually become one of the most attractive and respected school publications in Tripura.
To my surprise, I was invited to be associated with the project.That was how Satgamayawas born.
The choice of the name itself fascinated me. Here was a Catholic school choosing a name rooted in Sanskrit thought. Satgamaya carries the profound aspiration of moving towards truth and, in its larger spiritual sense, from darkness towards light. To me, the name reflected the breadth of Fr. Emmanuel’s vision—an outlook that embraced knowledge, culture, creativity, discipline and universal human values beyond narrow boundaries.
Fr. Emmanuel was extraordinarily particular about quality. Every manuscript was carefully read, corrected and edited before it reached me for designing. As our interactions increased through the making of Satgamaya, I began to understand how seriously he approached even the smallest detail. There could be no careless error and no compromise when it came to quality.
He would sit beside me and examine almost every element of the magazine—from the selection of photographs, colours, typography, fonts and layouts to the overall presentation of each page. Every part of the magazine mattered to him.
Many times, after completing an entire day’s responsibilities at school, he would come directly to our Press and continue working on Satgamaya until late at night. There were occasions when he would leave New Manikya Press at around 3:30 in the morning.
What amazed me even more was that, only a few hours later, he would be back at Holy Cross School on time, carrying out all his responsibilities as Principal. And when the school day ended, he would return to our Press once again to continue working on the magazine.I personally witnessed that tireless dedication.
Those long nights revealed the man behind the position. For Fr. Emmanuel, transforming Holy Cross School was not simply about constructing buildings or improving a campus. His involvement extended to education, discipline, culture, creativity, publications and virtually every aspect of institutional life. Whether it was the construction of a wall, the improvement of the playground, the creation of Satgamaya, or the selection of a single photograph for a page, he gave himself wholeheartedly to every task.
Through those countless hours spent working together, I had the privilege of witnessing closely his commitment, perfectionism, energy and vision.
But there was another side of Fr. Emmanuel that perhaps could not be seen merely by looking at the achievements of Holy Cross School.It was his humanity.
Fr. Emmanuel was well known for his generosity among the people of the Durjoynagar area. I personally witnessed instances of his compassion. His barber was a very poor man, and Fr. Emmanuel helped him by having a new shop built and renovated so that he could earn his livelihood with dignity.
He also extended financial help to local families when they struggled to arrange the marriages of their children. He never stopped to ask which religion they belonged to before helping them.For him, humanity came before religion.
That quality remains one of my strongest memories of him. His faith did not build walls between people; it inspired him to cross those walls and stand beside anyone who needed help.
As the years passed, another important chapter began with the establishment of Holy Cross College, Agartala. The Congregation of Holy Cross entrusted Fr. Emmanuel with new responsibilities, and once again our professional association brought us even closer.
By then, a deep trust had developed between us. When it came to publications and visual presentation, he had immense confidence in the quality of my work.
One day, he handed me a pencil sketch of the proposed Holy Cross College logo. From that simple sketch, I had the privilege of developing and designing the new logo for Holy Cross College. For me, it was much more than another professional assignment. It was an opportunity to contribute, in my own small way, to an institution that Fr. Emmanuel was helping to build.
During the early years of the college, I suggested to him that the institution needed wider publicity and mass advertising to make people aware of admissions and the new opportunities it offered. Being a newly established institution, however, the college naturally had financial constraints.Because of my affection and respect for Fr. Emmanuel and my attachment to the institution, I decided to sponsor two admission hoardings in Agartala city myself.
Fr. Emmanuel, as was his nature, would not allow the gesture to pass without acknowledging it. I had to accept his token of gratitude, though what mattered to me was never the recognition. It was simply something I wanted to do for him and for the institution with which I had become so deeply associated.
And then, once again, another idea took shape in Fr. Emmanuel’s mind.A college magazine.I was surprised when he told me what he wanted to call it: Jyotirgamaya.Once again, a college administered by a Catholic congregation would have a Sanskrit name for its magazine.I found that choice deeply meaningful.Years earlier, there had been Satgamaya. Now there was Jyotirgamaya—a name carrying the timeless invocation towards light.
These names, in many ways, expressed something fundamental about Fr. Emmanuel himself. He was firmly rooted in his own faith, yet his vision was never restricted by religious boundaries. He recognised wisdom, beauty and truth wherever they were found.
As the years went by, greater responsibilities awaited him. He went on to hold highly important positions within the Congregation of Holy Cross, including serving as First Assistant General and Vicar of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Rome.His responsibilities became international. His world became much larger.
But distance and position never erased old relationships.Whenever he visited Agartala, he made it a point to come to our place. We would sit together, and he would share stories and experiences from different parts of the world. Despite the important offices he had held and the many places he had travelled, I continued to see in him the same familiar Fr. Emmanuel I had known through those long nights at New Manikya Press.
The photograph accompanying this article was taken during his last visit to our place in February 2026. At that moment, I did not imagine that it would become the photograph through which I would one day remember our final meeting.
Today, as I look at that picture, memories spanning nearly four decades return—the school corridors of 1987, the transformation of Holy Cross School, the sleepless nights at New Manikya Press, the pages of Satgamaya, the birth of Holy Cross College, its logo, Jyotirgamaya, and our many conversations through the passing years.
People leave this world, but some leave behind institutions, ideas, values and memories that continue to speak for them.Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, C.S.C., was one of them.From Satgamaya to Jyotirgamaya, his journey was, in many ways, a lifelong journey towards light.
Rest in peace, dear Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, C.S.C.
Your work remains.
Your humanity remains.
And your light will continue to guide those whose lives you touched.
