Fr Marc De Brouwer prays for his departed older brother Fr Christian De Brouwer at St Mary’s Cathedral, Ranchi, on Friday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

I knew Father Christian De Brouwer since 1962 when I joined St Xavier’s College in the Arts department. He used to teach physics in the science faculty of the college, but was very popular among all students cutting across departments. He had a wonderful memory for names and he would remember students by their first names, long after they had passed out of the college.

He looked very busy all the time, yet approachable. I remember we students would run to him near the physics laboratory and he would give us a smile and check with us on how we were doing.

Forty years later, when I went back to the college to teach human rights there, I found him the same Father De Brouwer. He had a gentle smile and he greeted me by my first name. “Rajeev, you have some grey hair now,” he said.

As a human rights teacher, I had encouraged students to visit Birsa Munda Central Jail to meet prisoners. Father De Brouwer found out about it and told me he earlier used to visit the jail and pray for inmates but couldn’t do it anymore.

Industry secretary Vandana Dadel (centre) pays homage to Father Christian De Brouwer at St Xavier’s College, Ranchi, on Friday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

One day, he came to know I was going to show students a film, Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi. He said he would like to be at the Fr Proost Hall (of St Xavier’s College) for the screening. I waited for him. Sure enough, he walked in and asked me at the end of the film to keep me informed about other films in the series of shows I had planned for the human rights course.

I’d drop in for a chat in his room filled with books, journals, examination papers scattered all around. He’d speak about books, his family and people’s need for dignity.

It was always a joy to meet Father De Brouwer and spend a few minutes with him.

I did realise he had aged. It was sad to see him amble on campus in slow, measured steps. He had to be careful not to fall. Back in the 1960s, I had seen Fr De Brouwer bouncing up the steps, almost running.

His demise is a great loss to the college. Personally, I will miss him.

The author, a former Jharkhand DGP, is an alumnus of St Xavier’s College where Father Christian De Brouwer taught