If it was Father Gaston Roberge, who started Chitrabani in Calcutta and is known as the Communication Guru of Eastern India, it is Father Isaac Alappat who is the communication Guru of South India.

The Catholic Church in South  India bid farewell to one of  its ablest communication gurus on Wednesday May 5th.

Fr. Isaac Alappat CMI (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate),  known in Southern India as film director, editor, cameraman and script director, and the founder-director of Chetana group of institutions, died at a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday, May 4.

He was 86.

He launched Chetana Film and Television Institute at Chiyyaram, in Kerala  in 1980 in the model of Hollywood film and television production studios.

He founded the Chetana Sound Studio, one of the best studios in South India and the only underground studio in the country in those days. Hundreds of nationally and internationally known musicians and film personalities made use of the facilities offered at Chetana.

Chetana later branched into seven media training institutions with international standards. The institutes offer courses in  Visual Communication,  Mass Communication and Journalism and   Film and Television Program Production

Fr. Isaac  directed two feature films in Malayalam language, ‘Kunjikaikal’ and ‘Chakravalangal’.

His script titled ‘Kuttavum Sikshayam’ (crime and punishment), penned during his higher studies, was later included in the syllabus of the Loyola Marymount University.

He also authored several books, including Thiruvachanam Thettidharichavar, Minnaminungu and Anuyugathile Vranitha Sabha.

Fr. Alappat, started his mission as a Zoology teacher at Christ College, Irinjalakduda. Then God led him to a ministry of communication. After finishing higher studies in Communication Arts at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA, he returned to India.

He  launched Chetana Film and Television Institute at Chiyyaram in 1980 in the model of Hollywood film and television production studios.

The funeral rites were held at Christ Monastery Chapel at Irinjalakuda in Kerala on Wednesday.

  Catholic Church, Chetana Film and Television Institute, Media