About V P Achan
Dr.Fr.V.P.Joseph Valiyaveetil is the Founder Director of Kreupasanam Religio - Socio - Cultural Centre. Popularly known as Vpachan, Fr.Joseph has started his mission with the aim to serve the community and to reach out to the marginalized and vulnerable sections of the population. Born in 1960 at Alappuzha, Kerala, meritoriously completed his Graduation at St. Michael's College, University of Kerala and later joined Pontifical College for priesthood and ordained a priest in 1985. Fr.V.P.Joseph is focussed on key areas giving due importance to spiritual, social, cultural and moral responsibility. Father has made a Continuous effort to empower an ethnic society that had lost its identity in the course of history. He attempted to rejuvenate this ethnic society by recapturing their lost historical, cultural, social,spiritual identity in order to bring them into the mainstream of society. Equal focus was given for spiritual, social wellbeing and upliftment of marginalized sections of society, and for the revival of folk arts based on a Divine Mission with a vision.
Fr.V.P.Joseph can be rightly described as a Global Heritage Rejuvenator, who played key role in foregrounding the Indian cultural heritage in the Global space by rejuvenating and reviving the cultural art form, Chavittunadakam, the only Indo-European and age old Classical Dravidian Tamil-Malayalam dance drama and also brought back 1000 years old traditional art forms and identified the cultural heritage and transferred to young generation. Being a Social Activist , Fr.V.P.Joseph was the sole and unique force behind the Government decision to include Chavittunadakam as a competition item in the Kerala State Youth Festival which led to the popularization and transfer of this art form to the young generation. Fr. V.P. Joseph undertook mass campaigns, seminars, conducted symposiums, classroom dynamisms of conscientization activities to protect the human rights of the marginalized people, uplifted the weaker sections and played active role in women empowerment through intervention in coir industry by the invention of indigenous machine (traditional rad) to reduce drudgery of women coir labourers.
Father gave leadership in De-addiction activities and conducted a series of protests which have largely succeeded in influencing the government to take a decision on banning arrack shops in 1996. Father was crucial in forming Coastal Mission so as to protect the common people from encroachment of land by intruders and thereby ensuring wholesome development of people in the coastal areas. Also established Blue help line ,a disaster management cell to provide immediate help to fishermen on sea. With due focus on Moral obligation and Ethical Responsibility, Fr.V.P.Joseph undertook more than 5000 Conventions, counseled more than 15 lakhs of afflicted people thereby ensuring the peace and harmony that helps in healthy social set up.
Father worked for the social justice, respect and dignity for all, respect for workers' rights and Coastal area protection, children rights, cultural identity and diversity, indigenous peoples and minorities' rights and the preservation of the natural environment. Fr.V.P.Joseph has served as associate Vicar in the churches at Manakkodam, Kattoor, Thumboli, Pallithodu and served as Vicar in the Churches at Thykkal Vadakkal. He has also served as the Vicar of St. George Forane Church, and Vicar at Manakkodam and at Ambalappuzha. Presently he is the Parish Priest of Vicar of the Jesus Baptism Church Thaikkattussery.
The outstanding contributions to the community by Rev.Fr.V.P.Joseph was well acclaimed and honored by Government, NGO’s, institutions and organisations .Fr V.P Joseph has served as a Government Nominee Board Member on Government Cultural Institutions such as Kerala Sahitya Akademi-Thrissur, Kerala Folklore Academy- Kannur, Sanskriti Bhavan-Thiruvananthapuram, Panel of Jury at Kerala youth festival. Recognising the contributions , Fr.V.P.Joseph was honored by Central Government Senior Fellowship for the contribution in the fields of Culture Father was honored by various awards and recognitions by International Tamil University, Sahithya Academy, KCBC., KRLCC , C.D.P.I. etc.
Current Position
✧ Director, Kreupasanam Marian Retreat Centre, Kalavoor, Alappuzha
✧ Director, National Heritage Study Centre, Kalavoor, Alappuzha
✧ Director, Naithal Bhavan -Coastal Mission, Pallithode
✧ Director, Kreupasanam Costal Folkart Academy, Pallithode
✧ Director, Marian Median Mission , Kochi
Professional Memberships & Service
✧ Kerala State Sahithya Academy Member
✧ Kerala State Folklore Academy Member
✧ Kerala State Folklore Academy counsellor, Kannur -2008-09, 2012
✧ Kerala State Samskruthi Bhavan, Trivandrum -Counsellor-2008-09
✧ Jury in State Government Youth Festival
✧ Cultural Director, Chaavara Cancer Research Institute
✧ Board Member, Kuriakose Elias Trust for Communication and Development (K.E Trust)
