Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 30: Dr Hubert Manohar Watson is appointed the principal of Karnataka Theological College and the secretary of Karnataka Christian Educational Society (KACES), from June 25. He succeeds Dr H R Cabral, who worked as principal of KTC and Secretary of KACES for over 11 years.

Dr Watson hails from Moodidri. After completing his basic education in Moodbidri, he joined the Karnataka Theological College, Mangaluru, for his Bachelor of Divinity degree and later the United Theological College Bengaluru for his Master of Theology. After serving as a pastor in different churches, he went to Germany to pursue his doctoral research at the Regensburg University.

On completion of his doctoral studies he joined the Karnataka Theological College as a professor of Systematic Theology in 2002 and has been serving there with distinction since. He is also a visiting professor at St Joseph Seminary, Mangaluru, and the United Theological College Bengaluru, German language teacher at the Moegling Institute of German Language and University College, Mangaluru. He served as a member and chairperson of Modern European Languages of Mangalore University, president of Mangaluru Nagara Parisarasakta Okkoota, member of NGO Okkoota, and member of National Environment Care Federation. From 2012 to 2013 he was a guest professor at the Georg-August-University Goettingen, Germany.

A historical note about Karnataka Theological College

The Karnataka Theological College (KTC), Mangaluru, is one of the oldest Theological Institutions in India established in 1847. Today it is one of the main constituents of the Karnataka Christian Educational Society (KACES) which was founded in 1969 as a registered organization under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act.

The Basel Evangelical Missionary Society, which was founded in 1815 in Switzerland, sent out missionaries to establish a Seminary in India. In 1847 they established a training institute called the Catechist School to train Indian Pastors. In 1863 the Catechist School was upgraded to a Theological Seminary. In 1947 the Seminary was affiliated with Serampore College (University) for the L.Th. Diploma. In 1965 the Union Kanarese Seminary at Tumakuru, which had been affiliated with the Serampore College for the L.Th. Diploma in 1950, was amalgamated with the Basel Evangelical Mission Theological Seminary to form the Karnataka Theological College, which was inaugurated on the 17th June 1965 in Mangalore. Thus the Karnataka Theological College, Mangaluru, traces its origin to two different streams; the Basel Evangelical Mission Theological Seminary, Mangaluru, and Union Kanarese Seminary, Tumakuru. The College was upgraded to the Bachelor of Theology level in 1970 and to the Bachelor of divinity level in 1976. Since then the College has been offering degree courses regularly, besides conducting non-formal theological training programmes for Church workers and lay people from time to time. The College lays emphasis on three aspects: (i) academic excellence, (ii) practical skills, (iii) Personal formation

The present set-up under Karnataka Christian Educational Society (KACES)

The Karnataka Theological College is the core institution of the Karnataka Christian Educational Society (KACES) which serves as an administrative umbrella organization for various educational and vocational training institutions. The idea behind this institutional set-up is that theological training has to be imparted in the context of other secular educational programmes. In due course of time, other institutions and programme centres were established as the arms of KTC. Besides these, other institutions are established under KACES. Following are the institutions which come under KACES: Karnataka Theological College, Karnataka Theological Research Institute, Hebich Technical Training Institute, Balmatta Institute of Printing Technology, Balmatta Institute of Bookcraft, Karnataka Institute of Commerce, Balmatta Institute of Language & Vocational Studies, Moegling Institute of German Language, KACES Hostel, KACES ITI in Stitchcraft, Rural Theological & Vocational Training Centre, Karnataka Christian Communication Service, Union Christian College-Tumkur, Sahodaya-KTC Programme Centre and Kalasangama-KACES Audio Video Recording Studio. These institutions render valuable service to young people irrespective of caste and creed. Dr Hubert Watson will also take over as the secretary of KACES.