Hannibal Richard Cabral (25 June 1955Roydon D'Souza in The Mangalorean, Karnataka Theological College bids farewell to Rev. Dr. J. S. Sadananda, 1 November 2009. — 23 October 2021) was the former principalDaijiworld Media Network Mangalore (SP), Mangalore: Rev Hannibal Richard Cabral was the Principal of The Karnataka Theological College from 26 October 2009 until 24 June 2020. Accessed 8 March 2024. of Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore, a seminary established in 1965Vijaya Kumar, Ecumenical Cooperation of the Missions in Karnataka (India), 1834-1989: A Historical Analysis of the Evangelistic Strategy of the Missions, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2005, p. 132. and affiliated to India's first University,UNESCO Structures of University Education in India, 1952 the Senate of Serampore College. Cabral was appointed by the College Council as Principal in 2009.Daijiworld Media Network, Rev Cabral Installed as Principal of Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore, 28 October 2009.
Studies Cabral had his spiritual formation at the Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore, when he enrolled for a graduate course in 1971, receiving a Bachelor of Theology degree and later was upgraded to a Bachelor of Divinity degree at the Karnataka Theological College during the principalship of C. D. Jathanna. Cabral took postgraduate studies at United Theological College, Bangalore during the years 1988-1990K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory of the United Theological College 1910-1997, Bangalore, 1997, p. 128 and worked out a dissertation entitled An evaluation of the effectiveness of selected Christian dramas in Kannada in communication of the GospelH.R. Cabral, An evaluation of the effectiveness of selected Christian dramas in Kannada in communication of the Gospel in Thesis Titles, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bangalore, 1991. during the Principalship of Gnana Robinson leading to the award of Master of Theology. Cabral also studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary for a year in 1993.A World of Students, Valuable Exchanges, Onto Ministry, Inspire, Spring 2001, Volume 5, Number 3.
Continuing his studies, Cabral enrolled for doctoral studies at the South Asia Theological Research Institute, Bangalore and on successful submission of his dissertation, he was awarded a Doctor of Theology degree by the Senate of Serampore College in 1998.List of the Recipient of the Degree of Doctor of Theology of the Senate of Serampore College (University). Cabral pursued all his theological degrees from the University, with the exception of a postgraduation course from Princeton, and was awarded degrees in successive Convocations by the Senate of Serampore College (University).
Initiatives In 2010, Karnataka Theological College, under the Principalship of Cabral, announced the start of a two-year postgraduate programme leading to the award of Master of Arts in association with the George August University of Göttingen.KTC, "German varsity tie-up, start MA course", The Deccan Herald, 8 September 2010.
Writings
Christian Hymns in vernacular languages were composed and sung to Indian classical music by the early Missionaries and the early Christians in India. P. Solomon Raj in the context of the Christian Hymnal in Telugu writes that it has been of high literary standardP. Solomon Raj, The New Wine Skins, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2003, p.82. consisting of hymns in Telugu set in music patterns of Carnatic music and Hindustani classical music. Similarly, in 2000, Roger E. Hedlund (who taught at the Serampore College and is the Editor of the missiological journal, Dharma Deepika ), the missiologist wrote that, along with the Bible, the Christian Hymnal in Telugu also formed the main bulwark of Christian spiritual life for the Telugu folk and of equal use to both the non-literates and the literates as well.Roger E. Hedlund, Quest for Identity: India's Churches of Indigenous origin: The "Little" Tradition in Indian Christianity, New Delhi, 2000, p. 261. Cabral in his article Missionaries and Carnatic Music wrote that the early missionaries with special reference to Ferdinand Kittel were bemused by the Hindustani classical music and began composing songs in the local tradition.
Lyricist Cabral composed more than 500 songs in Kannada, English, Tulu and Hindi and had a stint at radio with the State-run All India Radio and the Far East Broadcasting Associates.
References