Fr George Kavukatt, belonging to the Missionary Society of St Thomas the Apostle, is working as a missionary in the Sindhudurg District of Maharastra, under the aegis of Sangli Mission, a missionary region undertaken by MST. Fr George has been engaging in the mission, witnessing to Christ, leading a lowliest and humble most life dedicating his entire life for the most underprivileged sections of people. His major work includes producing organic food materials distributed among the weaker sections of the society, as well as conserving the barren lands rejuvenating it be productive. These activities have shaped his spirituality and missionary life. Fr George, although not an academician but a down to earth missionary, has qualified these activities as Isidorean Spirituality as well as Josephine Spirituality.
A striking mission he undertook was uplifting the Dalit and Adivasi villagers of Varaichapada, a remote underdeveloped Adivasi area in Maharashtra. He had been instrumental in transforming the lives of people through providing education, and sustainable agriculture. He had been a saving angel in the life of many ranging from new-born babies abandoned in the waste bins to victims of accidents. He saved many lives who were depressed, and led them to the shore of hope.
As a young priest Fr George was sent to the newly established mission of Ujjain. There he was asked to start a new mission in a place called Mana. He landed there in 1979 at the age of 28. The starting of the mission there was a heroic act at a time when there were no basic facilities either for him or for the people he was working for. He had to stay in a hut with a sadhu sanyasi and started taking care of the people who were suffering from bad health and malnutrition.
His ecclesiastical contributions include pioneering the missionary pastoral work in the present day Kalyan diocese. In June 1984, he was commissioned by SMBC to do pastoral care of Syro- Malabar migrants in the Diocese of Pune, comprising of 11 districts of Maharashtra. Later when the Sangli Mission was allotted to MST fathers, Fr. George Kavukatt was appointed the first Regional Director to represent the Director General of MST in the mission and Episcopal Vicar (Syncellus) of the Eparchy of Kalyan to represent the bishop in the mission. He established the foundation of the mission which grew faster and wider to make the present day Sangli Mission in Maharshtra.
