India: CBCI Honors Salesian Priest for Promoting Bible in 44 Languages through Digital Platform
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) honored Fr. Joskutty Thomas SDB on February 9, 2026, for his outstanding contribution to the publication and promotion of the Holy Bible through the BibleOn mobile application and website. He belongs to the Dimapur Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, in northeast India.
The digital platform has made the Bible accessible in 44 languages, including 18 languages spoken in Northeast India. Audio versions are also available in several regional and indigenous languages, enabling wider access to Sacred Scripture.
Fr. Joskutty, along with Mr. Thomson Philip, co-founder of the BibleOn app, played a key role in making the Word of God available to diverse linguistic communities across the region.
Speaking to Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), Fr. Joskutty expressed gratitude for the recognition.
“I am very happy to have received this award. I thank God for helping me and blessing me with the work I could do alongside Mr. Thomson and our team. It is a great recognition. I feel deeply loved by Jesus and respected by the Church. The Church has acknowledged our efforts to spread God’s Word, and that fills me with immense joy,” he said.
The initiative began in 2011, when Fr. Joskutty started recording the Bible in a local language of East Arunachal Pradesh. The recordings brought together people of all ages who listened attentively to the Word of God. He later completed the recording of the entire New Testament in the Nishi language. These were distributed through CDs and pen drives and were widely appreciated, reaching even public representatives and drivers who played them in their vehicles.
With rapid technological changes and the need to reach a broader audience, Fr. Joskutty and Mr. Philip launched the app “Holy Bible in Tongues” in 2022. The initiative later evolved into BibleOn, which now supports languages from different parts of the world.
Fr. Joskutty noted that reading and listening to the Bible in one’s mother tongue deepens spiritual experience and strengthens faith. However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges in encouraging more people, especially young people, to actively use and share the app.
He expressed gratitude to mentors and supporters, including Fr. Silvano Sngi Lyngdoh and Fr. T. J. Francis, who guided and encouraged him throughout the mission.
In addition to his work on BibleOn, Fr. Joskutty has authored books and articles on the history of the Catholic Church in Northeast India and on the cultural heritage of indigenous communities. His work has contributed to biblical translation studies and contextual theology.
Born to the late M. J. Thomas (Kunjumon) and Gracykutty Mathathiparambil of Kallara, Fr. Joskutty was ordained a priest on December 31, 2011, by the late Archbishop Mar Abraham Viruthikulamgura.
The award ceremony was held at St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru, in the presence of Catholic bishops from across India. The event recognized Catholic individuals committed to serving the Church and society. On the same occasion, the Catholic Chief Minister of Meghalaya was also honored for his service to the Church, society, and the nation.
