India, Dec. 1 -- For me, this December 3rd is not merely a date on the calendar-it is a reminder. A reminder that every institution, especially one born from a mission, carries within its story decisive moments that shape not only what it was, but what it dares to become. Some of these moments pass quietly, almost unnoticed; others continue to echo across time, demanding reflection, honesty, and courage. For Jesuit education in India, two such moments-separated by almost a century-invite us to revisit the meaning of integrity, academic freedom, and fidelity to the Gospel mission.

In 1925, at St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, a Jesuit rector chose principle over caution. He opened the gates of a Catholic institution to Mahatma Gandhi-then vi...