The Global Jury praised Fr Scaria for reshaping correctional spaces across West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar since his landmark visit to the Berhampore Central Correctional Home in 1995. What began as a pastoral call quickly evolved into a comprehensive reform movement: vocational training, legal aid, counselling, family support programmes, and the world’s first certified motor driving school inside a prison became hallmarks of the Don Bosco Prison Ministry under his leadership.
Over three decades, his initiatives offered release, reintegration, and renewed dignity to thousands of inmates. “I went in with no plan, but came out with a conviction—that these men and women, though incarcerated, are still children of God,” Fr Scaria recalls. His ministry especially focused on under‑trial prisoners—often young, poor, and without legal representation—empowering them through skills training in mechanics, tailoring, electronics, and digital literacy. The motor driving school, once met with scepticism, became a pioneering model, enabling life convicts to earn licences and secure jobs.
Former District Magistrate Manoj Pant noted the profound transformation: “Within five years, Fr Scaria and his team succeeded in making this jail prisoner‑friendly. Life convicts are now driving prison vehicles after being trained by the Don Bosco team.” His impactful work has previously earned national honour: the National Legal Services Authority recognised him in 2006, and the Salesian congregation bestowed on him the Pascual Chávez Award in 2012.
Beyond skill-building, the ministry promoted holistic rehabilitation through music, sports, theatre, and cultural initiatives that rekindled confidence and community among inmates. Support extended to families through education assistance and counselling, breaking cycles of stigma. The 2022 documentary Joy Behind Bars, produced by the Salesian Province of Calcutta, captured this journey, shifting public perception of prisoners from condemnation to compassion.
Though now in his early eighties, Fr Scaria attributes the mission’s success to collective effort. “This is not my work. It is God’s work, carried out by many hands,” he says, acknowledging Salesian confreres, lay collaborators, and even former inmates who returned as mentors. His colleague, Fr K. K. Sebastian, reflected: “This is not the result of a PhD degree but of an authentic SDB degree—a Salesian for the poor and marginalised with love and compassion.”
Receiving the award, Fr Scaria reaffirmed the Salesian commitment: “Prison Ministry should be considered an integral part of the Salesian apostolate. It touches the lives of thousands of needy and problematic youth. This is what Don Bosco wanted.”
From a single unplanned prison visit in 1995 to international recognition in 2025, Fr Scaria’s journey stands as a testament to mercy in action — and a reminder that justice finds its fullness only when met with compassion.
