International President
Mehulbhai Kantibhai Dabhi

My Heart is filled with great honour to speak to you as the President of IMCS Pax Romana, a student movement which has been stirring the hearts and minds of students through out the world.

For a boy coming from a small village of the western state Gujarat of India, it is indeed a great journey to reach here.

I was born in the Dalit Catholic family as the youngest son among three children. The hardship and struggle my family went through is a real inspiration for me. My father, who was left alone with the aged grandparents, strived to get love from divorced parents. He studied without any financial support from anyone. He built our family full of love and Christian values. My mother too a spirited social activist has been a motivating force for me.

It was a journey on the road less travelled for me over the years. I had experienced how it feels when somebody considers you inferior or untouchable at my school days. And many such experiences shaped my character that is determined to fight against all forms of discrimination.

I was privileged to get the benefit of the training and formation of Jesuits in my teenage and it continues until today. I joined the Ankur programme at Ashadeep. And it was where I picked up skills in communication, writing, leaderships and imbibed the knowledge on various current affairs and political and social developments.

After this early formation personally I had no problem in deciding to leave the higher studies in Finance Management. After graduating from the same discipline I felt I did not want to be the part of corporate world. I started intensive studies for the civil services examination, which is essential to get the top most jobs in the government administration. After putting so much efforts and two full years in it I couldn't get into it which is normally controlled by the dominating community in India.

It was this time in my life I happened to be the part of AICUF, which is IMCS in India. My first active involvement in the World Social Forum in 2004 brought before me the global perspective of the various movements and agitations against discriminations, exploitations and injustice including our movements. It was enlightenment for me to see how all over the world all marginalised are the same including students. And with that vision my journey begun with IMCS. I worked as the National Vice President IMCS India and Gujarat State full timer for AGSDM. I was instrumental in initiating the Human rights Cell in AICUF as the coordinator.

During this time I was very much involved with the various activities of the Ashadeep too. Along with that I started the studies in Law. I imbibed certain ideological clarity through my involvement in AGSDM and AICUF. My involvement at Ashadeep shaped me as the social activist. My internship with IMCS AP was indeed a great opportunity to understand our movement globally.

I believe my experiences as participant and as organiser of various workshops, seminars, training programmes, and campaigns will certainly help me in facilitating student the community.

I am extremely excited to work with two highly talented and spirited people as my team members, Chris and Fr. Chris. I am really looking forward to work with so many resourceful and student central regional coordinators. It will be a learning experience for me to work with so many likeminded groups and movements and our financial supporters in coming years. I have no doubt about the energy and compatibility the student community has. I am sure the coming years are going to be the most remarkable moments in my life.

I thank all of you for putting faith in me. I assured you that I will do my best to fulfil the dreams of millions to make this world a better place to live in for all irrespective of colour race, caste, gender. But without your support and love I will not be able to move an inch in our mission of cultivating the culture of peace and harmony. I am sure together we will make it with the support of our mother Church and with Jesus Christ to guide us.

1 Dalit is the word used to describe the exploited, marginalised group. They are discriminated on the basis of caste. Majority of them come from Untouchables.
2 Ankur is a programme to train the student from marginalised group to enable tem to get jobs in Administration of government. In a way getting into the policy making bodies with the social orientation.
3 Ashadeep is the Human Development Centre working among the marginalised community in central part of Gujarat, India.
4 AICUF -All India Catholic Universities Federation is IMCS in India.
5 AGSDM-All Gujarat Students Development Movement is IMCS in Gujarat state in India.

Contact: mdabhi@imcs-miec.org