by Father Dinesh Vasava & Cleric Sachin Tribhuvan
In his welcome address, Father Mayank Parmar – Rector of Kapadvanj Don Bosco Society said, “Studio Don Bosco is more than just a long-felt need. It is the hope and advancement of AmrutDhara to reach out through a state-of-the-art infrastructure to the catechetical needs of the Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan region where the Salesians of Don Bosco accompany the young.” Further elaborating, Father Parmar added, “Studio Don Bosco is being initiated in a small way with very minimal investment. Hopefully, in the years to come, it will be a full-fledged professional studio that will help produce materials for value-education, life-skills and spiritual animation.”
Father Arackaparambil said, “It has been a long desired dream that AmrutDhara develop in keeping with the times. This Studio Don Bosco will hopefully manage to create a spiritual & social awakening in this our region and eventually contribute with its own audio-visual aids for the themes of social harmony, solidarity and universal brotherhood. My wish is that under the able guidance of our confreres here, this Studio Don Bosco will evolve into a full fledged Media Centre that will reach out to many more young people bringing them closer to God.”
Studio Don Bosco is dedicated to the memory of Father Edward Rathod, SDB, who wanted to enhance the lives of people, especially the young through music, song & dance when he was a resident at the Kapadvanj Don Bosco Campus. Adept at Bharatnatyam, he animated his companions during his formative years and was also talented in putting up notice board displays, backdrops and house system boards. He was known, appreciated and popular for his original Gujarati plays, prayer-services, bhajans, katha-recitals. An avid lover of music, Fr. Rathod also composed Gujarati hymns for the purpose of catechesis and spiritual animation of his boys and villagers; was very popular in the villages of Narukot and in Dakor; and was also a great promoter of vocations to the Church in Gujarat. Conducting catechism classes, animating the prayers and breaking the Word of God were his personal passions. Post-ordination, Father Rathod endeared himself to the people in Kapadvanj with his well prepared animation-sessions, talks, value seminars and katha-recitals. Managing AmrutDhara - the Salesian Catechetical Animation Centre, for a short time, for the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan region - Fr Edward wanted to reach out to the marginalized and the unreached through his hard work and vision to do something great for his people. Unfortunately a road accident cut short this vibrant life in 2001.
The highlights of the newborn Studio Don Bosco is professional multi-lingual quality work in a comfortable work environment through the services of a professional film industry audio engineer, with special focus on booth recording, editing, mixing and mastering with ProTools catering to diverse clients – individual, schools and institutions. As part of the work scheme, Studio Don Bosco will produce audio-video narrations, jingles, audio-books, podcasts, spiritual audio-video reflections, voice-overs, and backing track for vocalists. “Gujarati Bhajans, Scouting Songbook and Video Homilies are the immediate tasks that Studio Don Bosco will engage in,” said Father Dinesh Vasava, Director of AmrutDhara Don Bosco.
