Tag: Meghalaya

#faith

New Church Blessed in Mawkhap, Marking Milestone for Remote Catholic Community

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Catholic faithful of Mawkhap in Meghalaya witnessed a deeply significant moment on December 20, 2025, with the blessing of a newly constructed church under Umsning Parish. The celebration drew more than 2,000 faithful and was held in connection with the centenary of Our Lady’s request for the Five First Saturdays Devotion, adding profound spiritual meaning to the occasion.

The blessing ceremony and Holy Mass were conducted under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Pius Shadap, Parish Priest and Episcopal Vicar of Umsning, along with Fr. Edward Sten, Assistant Parish Priest. The event also saw the participation of members of the Seng Kynthei Catholic Cathedral Parish and their Rosary Group from Laitumkhrah, who have supported the Mawkhap community in observing the Five First Saturdays Devotion over the past year.

Situated in a remote and forested region, Mawkhap is one of the farthest pastoral outstations of Umsning Parish. The construction of the new church stands as a testament to the Church’s commitment to accompany and serve Catholic communities living in isolated areas, ensuring that faith and pastoral care reach even the most distant villages.

The church features Marian symbolism inspired by the Fatima message and will serve nearly 1,000 Catholic families across 20 villages, benefiting a population of more than 6,000 people. The construction was supervised by Fr. Edward Sten, whose guidance played a key role in bringing the project to completion.

As a gesture of gratitude, the villagers honoured church leaders during the celebration, and handmade rosaries blessed by Victor Lyngdoh were distributed among the faithful. The blessing of the new church marks a new chapter of faith, unity, and pastoral life for the Mawkhap community, strengthening their spiritual journey and sense of belonging within the wider Church.

TechPulse

Meghalaya Becomes India’s First State to Use Drones for Medicine Delivery to Remote Areas

allycaralgoa

Shillong, Meghalaya – July 2025: In a landmark move blending technology with public health, Meghalaya has emerged as the first Indian state to operationalize drone-based medicine delivery to remote and hard-to-reach healthcare centres across its hilly terrain.

Launched under a state-supported initiative in collaboration with private drone operators and public health authorities, the project is set to drastically reduce delivery times from several hours to mere minutes, ensuring faster access to critical supplies in rural and tribal areas.

“This is not just a technology upgrade—this is about saving lives,” said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, speaking at the launch ceremony. “Villages once separated by hours of trekking or unreliable roads will now have life-saving medicines and vaccines delivered with unmatched speed.”

The drones are programmed to carry essential drugs, vaccines, diagnostic samples, and emergency supplies from district hospitals to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) nestled in the state’s forested hills and valleys.

Why it matters:

  • Some PHCs in Meghalaya required 6–8 hours of transport time by road or foot.
  • Now, drones complete the same trip in under 30 minutes.
  • This cuts delays in vaccination, maternal care, and emergency treatment.

Backed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and guided by the i-Drone initiative of the Indian government, the program is expected to expand to cover more regions within the state and inspire similar models across the country.

Experts in both the tech and public health sectors have hailed the move as a game-changer for India’s rural healthcare delivery system—especially in geographies like the Northeast, where natural barriers often hinder supply chains.