Fr. Paul Parakkattel CMI

Director

It is estimated that the dimension of disability in India today is 5-8 percent of the population. Some studies state that 13.6 percent of the population are affected by some form of disability. It is also claimed that more than 700 million in India fall under this category. Moreover, it is generally accepted that the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) are one of the most neglected groups in our society. India ranks 111 out of a total of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023 depicting the pathetic situation of the Indian population. Disability and poverty have made the lives of thousands of Indians quite intolerable.

Santhigiri Rehabilitation Institute (SRI) is a voluntary, charitable organization formed to focus on the major policy issues concerning the persons with disabilities.  Santhigiri was founded from the consciousness that the persons with disabilities are the most forsaken group in the Indian society. The spirit of inspiration emanated from the public and the CMI Fathers of the Carmel Province, Muvattupuzha, Kerala enabled the foundation and registration of Santhigiri under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific, and charitable Societies Act of 1955 on 16th December 1992. It was a response to the global movement initiated by the United Nations.

The word Santhigiri means a mount of peace. Santhigiri is in a scenic campus encircled by mountains at Vazhithala in Idukki District, Kerala State. The serene atmosphere of Santhigiri campus away from the undue vibrancy of the city makes living, learning, and working a special pleasure. Here the nature intensely touches the lives of the children/students. Our well-planned campus with grassy quads and beautiful woods that change with seasons gives the inmates an eco-friendly atmosphere.