Blessed Father Kuriakose Chavara, the founder of the Congregation of the CMI Fathers, "is a living inspiration for thousands and thousands of persons. He is gratefully remembered as a profound scholar, an educationist, a builder of insititutions of the underprivileged, the illiterate, the destitute and the needy" - His excellency The President of India: R. Venkitaraman.
To his credit there are many first in the history of the Catholic Church in Kerala: the first indigenous relgious congregation for men (CMI), the first Indian congregation for women (CMC), the first Sanskrit School, the first Catholic Printing Press and numerous other contributions in various fields. Besides the house of foundation at Mannanam, he started several houses for the dying and destitute, schools for general education and for promoting art forms not only of Christians but of other faiths attached to churches called 'Pallikoodam', were among the few of various activities under Blessed Chavara's leadership. Blessed Chavara died on January 3, 1871 in the odor of sacntity leaving behind him the high reputaiton of a very holy monk. He was declared blessed on Febraury 8, 1986 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Inspired by Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, CMI St. Paul Province of Bhopal established Christ College Bhopal to promote excellence and empowerment among the students who enter its portals and to create a culture of co-existence, harmony, love, truth, justice and equality.
Christ College, Anand Nagar , Bhopal, founded in 2001, is run by CMI Seva Sangh (Registered) of St. Paul Province, Bhopal, belonging to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the first indigenous Congregation in India with its foundation at Mannanam, Kottayam, Kerala, India. This Catholic Religious Congregation is the embodiment of the dream and vision of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara who was a nineteenth century visionary, educationist and social reformer in India. The Government of India honoured Blessed Chavara, the founder of the CMI Congregation, by releasing a postal stamp in 1986 with his image. CMI Congregation with a membership of about 3000 renders its services to humanity, in
educational, social, healthcare and other activities aiming at the prosperity and well being of society. Christ College, Bhopal, is one of the four hundred plus educational institutions run by the CMI allover India which include many prestigious colleges in the country like Christ University, Bangalore, one of the top ranking Universities in the country, Amala Medical College, Thrissur, Rajagiri Engineering College, Kochi etc. Christ College, though a minority Christian Institution, strives to input quality education empowering every section of the society especially the weak without distinction of religion, caste, creed or colour.
