Afghanistan has fascinated me since Tagore’s tale of the Kabuliwallah in school.  It came within my reach, however, because JRS & the South Asian Jesuits got involved in this mountainous land.  But with that, any propensity to romanticise the country disappeared as my perceptions of, and concerns for its war torn situation grew. 

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I am indeed fortunate that the Xavier Research Foundation (XRF), Ahmedabad that I head has the wherewithal to reach out and to collaborate with JRS in Afghanistan.  In so doing I have become an ‘international Jesuit’ who serves beyond the boundaries of my province. 

 

JRS assigned a young female graduate from Afghanistan for her dissertation to XRF-Loyola Center for R & D and thus initiated our

service beyond borders.  Now she has returned for her Ph. D studies in collaboration with us.  Yet another faculty member has applied to join us for a fellowship in plant tissue culture.  We, at XRF look forward to continue this meaningful service.  

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The significance and need of science education came home to me as a dire need of the hour when I visited Bamiyan University. The response of the teacher trainers to the input sessions I had with them, convince me that peace will prevail, if we reach out.  They can make it happen!