Remembering Cyril

Why we do a certain thing in life - and not the others, only we - or our maker, can understand. Human motivation is a complex web. World can only make guesses! From that perspective, I can’t assess or evaluate Cyril’s life and his work- and I know he could not care less! But I can easily say that he lived a happy, fulfilling and meaningful life, which touched mine and many other lives deeply. Following words are just meant to honour his memory.

He died two days ago, on 13th June, at 1 pm in our Vikasnagar campus. He was a noted social worker and a leader in voluntary community development sector in Uttarakhand. In his last moments he was served by people he loved and nurtured. The end came peacefully. His remains were cremated at Shantidham, Vikasnagar, honouring his last wish. Forty plus people gathered for his last rites, in spite of travel restrictions. He is survived by a large number of friends, social workers, their children and his own family members in the west (Canada, Australia, England).

What follows is a sketchy biographical detail:

Years in India

CYRIL R RAPHAEL was born on 12th Nov 1939 in Allahabad. His father, Dr Stephen Raphael, served as a doctor in Armed forces. After Independence, he moved with his family to Britain, completed Business Management course and joined BOAC (now British Airways) as Operations manager in 1960. Few years later, he resigned and moved to Canada, where he started an Alternative Community and explored acting and other creative media expressions. He returned to the land of his birth in 1977 – and joined Swami Manmathan in Anjanisain, in a determined & extensive effort to transform mountain community. While Sw. Manmathan led movements like “Stop the Animal Sacrifice”, “University for Hills”, “Silkote Tea Garden movement” etc., Cyril managed the ashram (Sri Bhuvaneshwari Mahila Ashram aka SBMA), translated Manmathan’s vision into practice, promoted the idea of sustainable mountain development among the donors and the local community. From 1977 to 1989, he volunteered in many roles, as Management Consultant, Administrator, Chief Program Coordinator, Fund Raiser etc. for SBMA.

Sw Manmathan was assassinated in 1990, beginning a time of difficulties for the young organization, SBMA. Cyril was asked to take the charge as Secretary and Chief Functionary, which he shouldered very well till 2007. In 2007, he handed the charge to the next incumbent, a ward of the ashram and his ‘apprentice’, Shri Gyan Singh Rawat, and shifted to Dehradun. This shift was necessitated on health grounds too.

In this new phase of life, he promoted a platform – Himalayan Desk, to facilitate discussion among development practitioners. Also, he mentored many social workers and facilitated their dreams and initiatives. He often foresaw the potential for collaboration between different agencies and individuals – and took the subtle but tangible steps to bring it about.

In 2015, he was requested by famous environmentalist Shri N D Juyal, to take over the charge of The Himalaya Trust, Dehradun. He is currently its Secretary and the Chief Functionary. The trust is working on themes of Environment, Education, Rural Skill development and Mountain Agriculture in Uttarkashi, Garud and Pithoragarh.

Few years later, he resigned from THT in 2018 and retired from the active life of a social worker. He still continued to be available to friends and colleagues. But it was a phase of some instability, characterised by moves between Dehradun, Vikasnagar and Anjanisain. Early June 2021, he came down from Anjanisain to Vikasnagar, SMTA campus. 

After a few days at SMTA campus, on 13th June, he breathed his last, surrounded by Fakru, Vishnu, Himanshu, Sultan, Dhaneshwari, Ritika, Sachin and others.

Contribution to Uttarakhand

Cyril’s work can be broadly viewed in two categories: before 1977, in the United Kingdom and Canada – and thereafter, in India, primarily in Uttarakhand. Here we will focus on the latter, the Indian phase of his adult life. In Uttarakhand, for twelve years (1977-89), he was the organising intelligence and the spirit behind the evolution of SBMA, as an agency for extensive significant social change, covering a vast area of Uttarakhand; He used the modern approaches of organizational development, perspective building, donor-education, program development and inspirational leadership in this endeavour. Sustaining this massive organisational growth was, Cyril’s constant focus on developing, nurturing and inspiring young people in an area and at a time, when ready-made graduates (in any discipline) were difficult to come by.

While implementing multi-sectoral projects in the four districts (Pauri, Tehri, Chamoli, Uttarkashi) in nineties, he did not overlook the need to strengthen and develop the mother centre at Anjanisain. It evolved into a vibrant campus, promoting and demonstrating many initiatives based on earth sciences and traditional skills: Apiary, Dairy, Orchard, Vegetable garden, Poultry, weaving etc. It was also visited regularly by a variety of development practitioners, seekers, volunteers, donors, dignitaries – including Late Sri R S Tolia, the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand at that time.

One of the major donors, supporting SBMA at this time was Save The Children Fund (SCF-UK) and the project it supported, Garhwal Pariyojna, focused on Health, Women’s Development, Early Child Development (Anganwadi), Micro-enterprise and Environment. It was implemented initially in 3 districts- Tehri, Pauri, Chamoli.

Swami Manmathan’s assassination in 1990 (6th April) was the big challenge since, the perpetrator was soon bailed out due to political connections and was now threatening the remaining SBMA team, including Cyril. Rising above fear and indecision, Cyril, inspired the team out of paralysis and into the new program initiatives. Uttarkashi Earthquake in 1991, was a test for SBMA under Cyril’s guidance. It called for massive mobilization of manpower and funds to reach out to distraught scattered rural community. Cyril encouraged SCF, to go beyond the mandate of the existing project, and jump in the breach. The SBMA team not only provided prompt relief - but also decided to stay on in Uttarkashi for long-term regeneration and engagement – which still continues.

In 1994, Plan International was invited to help SBMA carry on its work with mountain children. Cyril oversaw the transition from SCF to Plan International in an orderly way, for the organization as well as for the vast community, it served. About this time, SBMA began a serious eastward expansion into Kumaon.

While projects multiplied and deepened, it generated a burgeoning demand for skilled human resource; SBMA attracted young people with not just skills and energy - but a vision of their own too. Cyril scouted them out, mentored and helped them to start their own initiatives and organizations; here are some well-known ones:

- Research, Advocacy & Communication in Himalayan Areas (RACHNA) was launched in 2002; it focused on communication, networking and eco-tourism. 

- Mountain Children Foundation (MCF) grew up as a platform for social development where children were both the agent of change as well as its beneficiary. MCF grew out of The International Conference of Mountain Children (ICMC), organised in Dehradun, in 2002 (link). Cyril first came up with the idea of using the convergence of the International Year of the Mountains and the Global Movement for Children to create a special place on global stage for the children of the mountains. (http://www.mcfglobal.ngo/ ) 

- Channel Mountain Communication (CMC) – a new age media, as the name suggests, is an organisation devoted to the activities related to communication in the Himalayan region. It is a group of professionals working in the areas of science, technology, culture, media, research and training. It is committed to provide quality services to organisation, agencies and institutions both in private and public sector in the areas of mass communication. (http://www.channelmountain.com/) 

- Himalayan Desk is a platform, a space, for exchange of ideas. A space for development practitioners to opine, comment and philosophise!  

- Sanchar, an organisation created to promote traditional art forms which are very valuable in IEC traditions, was also formalised. Today, Mr. Ramlal, Expert puppeteer and Nukkad Natak trainer provides his services across the pantheon of social development organization in India.

Another dimension of his contribution is the infectious influence he has had on constant stream of visitors to Anjanisain and now to Dehradun, common as well as uncommon people, Indian as well as foreign, students, donors, professionals, artists… – none of whom has left without getting a glimpse of what mountains represent, offer and demand. These have included from Sir Robert ffolks, Ex Director of SCF, James Campbell (order of the British Empire), Country Director to young Brijesh Badoni, a single parent child who grew up in the Ashram who worked in Wadia Institute, Dehradun as a Junior Scientist and is currently working as a scientist in a leading national agency – Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, Himachal.

Cyril did not implement projects. Rather, he inspired and launched those who were to implement a variety of projects in Uttarakhand and beyond. It needs to be noted that many of these individuals were mentored through scholarship from the Ford Foundation to study abroad at IVY league University around the globe such as Harvard, Columbia University, Princeton, Canberra, Leicester, Sussex – UK and other institutions in Holland, England and many more.

And then, there were many who blossomed in his company, just because he offered them validation for their life choices in a casual side comment or a full blown parable form his "flower child"days in the west. 

A Radical Visionary

Cyril challenged the idea that “Small is beautiful” by nurturing a big people’s organisation in Anjanisain over three decades; His imprint on SBMA will be visible for a long time. SBMA, as a large development agency – perhaps largest in Uttarakhand, will continue to shape the social landscape for many more years. Today, it serves 2000 communities, through 300+ staff members and 400+ volunteers; it implements 18+ projects in collaboration with 25 different partners covering all the Districts of Uttarakhand. In 1980, it had just twelve inmates –a few dilapidated huts hugging a steep hill side precariously – and no funds to speak of.

From 1977 to 2007, he steered this fledgling Ashram group, into a regional force for social change. Many young people came in touch with him, received the inspiration and moved on into diverse fields of social development and creativity. Many looped back, reconnected after years, and fuelled his dreams of making development meaningful and humane.

We think that his greatest contribution to voluntary sector in Uttarakhand has been to demonstrate that there are no ‘hard’ limits to growth of an organization in the mountains; it just requires courage and vision on the part of the leaders. He also amply demonstrated in last three decades that the big need not necessarily be unwieldy and slow. As he often said: small is beautiful but big has impact. SBMA’s role during many natural disasters has proved it. Perhaps, such an approach is what made him and Late Dr. Tolia develop their own personal and professional relationship.

Following series of video Interviews conducted in 2015-16, is perhaps the last structured attempt to understand him and his approach to life.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0dIlVJlQy9Ck3UfG2czsMcXdeoGCmNZu