The Father Agnel Ashram is a charitable institution in
India. Founded under the inspiration and guidance of the Father Conceicao Rodrigues, the movement started with an orphanage and a trade school in carpentry. Today, under the guidance of Agnel Ashram Fathers, it caters to full-fledged schools, industrial training centres, polytechnics, engineering colleges at the bachelor and post-graduate levels and a School of Management and has spread its wings with large technical complexes at Bandra in Mumbai, Verna in Goa, New Delhi, Noida, Ambernath,
Vashi in Navi Mumbai and in Pune.
History
It was founded in June 1957 in the
Land's End neighborhood of
Bandra, a suburb of
Mumbai. The
ashram was started with the aim of fostering love and understanding among the peoples of the nation through the use of education and charity. It was named after the
Ven. Fr. Agnel De Souza, a Catholic priest from
Goa, who died in 1927.
Timeline
In 1969, the Agnel Technical College started with a course in Diploma in Production Engineering at Bandra in Mumbai. Their leader was Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues.
In 1979, responding to a request from the
Government of India, the
ashram branched out to establish two new branches simultaneously - one at
Verna,
Goa and the other at Gautam Nagar,
New Delhi.
In 1984, on 22 June, the Agnel Ashram fraternity lost its visionary and founder, Fr. C. Rodrigues. The same year the
ashram expanded further to set up a branch at
Vashi,
Navi Mumbai, a newer city under planned development at the time.
In 2000, an Agnel Ashram institute was started in
Greater Noida in June and in September of the same year, the foundation of yet another Institute, Fr Agnel's Vidyankur School was laid in
Pune.
In 2001, a new centre was opened at
Ambarnath. Starting at the preschool level, the school takes the student through graduation and postgraduation.
In 2012 under the leadership of Fr. Peter D'Souza a wellness centre named
Agnels Wellness Ashram was set up in
Pune. This was a collaborative effort undertaken by Dr. Nikhil Metha (Ayurveda Practitioner), Dr. Stanny Kedari (Dentist) and Agnel Ashram Pune. This led to the creation of Jeevak Ayurved Panchkarma Centre and Pearly Smiles Advanced Care Dental Clinic. In 2014, Agnel Ashram Pune, partnered with Bliss Utility Pvt Ltd to offer affordable health care, laboratory and pathological solutions.