It gives me immense pride and joy to share a note on behalf of the School of Social Work. Established in 2005, our school stands at a historic milestone as we prepare to celebrate the Porcelain Jubilee, a testimony to two decades of unwavering commitment to social transformation through education.

We are deeply honoured to have received the prestigious Nehru Yuva Chetana Award and have always been highlighted in the national rankings among the schools of Social Work, which recognizes not only our academic excellence but our steadfast dedication to empowering the youth and working alongside vulnerable communities.

One of the defining strengths of our school is the diversity of our faculty and student body. The multicultural environment enriches learning by fostering mutual respect, inclusion, and a global outlook—ensuring that both students and teachers grow through shared perspectives and lived experiences.

As part of a Jesuit University, the School of Social Work is anchored in the Ignatian pedagogical paradigm—where context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation form the bedrock of learning. Beyond academics, this paradigm instills in students the values of empathy, discernment, and service. We proudly uphold the Universal Apostolic Preferences, making them integral to our curricular framework and teaching pedagogy.

Aligned with the professional benchmarks of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), we design and deliver our BSW and MSW programmes to ensure global standards in practice-based social work education. These programmes not only enhance the wellbeing of individuals, groups, and communities but also empower students to see themselves as catalysts of societal transformation. We firmly believe that transformation begins with self-realisation, and it is this conviction that inspires our holistic approach.

Our programmes are recognised across the country for their rigour and fieldwork-based exposure, building a reputation for standing alongside the excluded and marginalized. From rural camps, study tours, and tribal visits to innovative fieldwork partnerships, students gain invaluable experiences that connect theory with practice. International and national collaborations through workshops, conferences, and seminars further broaden their horizons, nurturing socially committed professionals ready to engage with global challenges.

At its heart, the School of Social Work seeks to walk as an ally to the marginalized, inspiring our students to actively shape a more just and inclusive world. Our alumni frequently affirm that the grounding they received here has equipped them not just with skills but with conviction—the conviction that social work is a calling to stand with others, build hope, and create change.

As we step into our third decade, we look ahead with gratitude, confidence, and renewed commitment to live up to our mission: to educate, to empower, and to transform. We warmly invite each of our readers to be a part of our school and aid the process of holistic social development.

Dr Alan Godfrey. A

Dean (In-charge)

School of Social Work