The death of 84-year-old Father Peter Paul Van Nuffel on September 3 morning, who was among the few Belgium priests of Chotanagpur region devoting life for the development of Jharkhand tribals has left a message of spreading the love called ‘humanity’.
Suffering from respiratory problem due to chest congestion, he was under treatment at Orchid hospital in the State capital where he took his last breath. Born to Maurice Van Nuffel, a grain trader and Maria Poorten of Aalst, a small town in East Flanders, Fr PP Van Nuffel, being the eldest child, was expected to carry forward his father’s business but he chose the life of serving mankind.
He chose Gumla as his ‘Karmabhumi’ soon after coming to India in 1953 and worked as a Headmaster in St Ignatius High School from 1974-87 here. He was also awarded for excellent performance by his students in matriculation examination by the then Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra in 1977.
While his stay at Gumla, Fr Van Nuffel encouraged the sporting talents in the regions and because of his efforts St. Ignatius School grabbed international attention in football and hockey. In the year 1993 the School team won Subroto Mukherjee cup defeating Uzbekistan as well as Sub-Junior and Junion Nehru cup in Hockey.
Reminding this noble soul, Father Erik Breye, another Belgium father residing at Gumla, who accompanied Father Van Nuffel for a long time told The Pioneer over a phone conversation, that his death is a loss to the humanity. Similar, were the words of St Ignatius School alumnus Father Ajit Kumar Xess, currently the Principal of St Xavier’s School, Ranchi.
“Observing the popularity of sports in Gumla district, Father Nuffel started Chakravyuha Inter School Athletic Competition in 1969 while he was the Director of Apostolic School, Gumla,” said Father Erik.
Adding more about his contribution to the sports development, St Xavier’s College Rector Father Bilung said, “His death is a great loss to the sports field of Gumla. During his tenure as Headmaster, then United Bihar’s Gumla glorified the name of India in producing scores of hockey and football players and international runners including athlete Jagatpal.”
“To promote and preserve tribal culture, he set up a tribal museum perhaps first of its kind in India Van Nuffel founded an NGO ‘Arouse’,” added Fr. Erik. In 2002, Arouse won Baldeodas Shah national award for excellence in sericulture. Sports Authority of India Coordinator Sushil Kumar Verma who began his sports coach from this school and was fortunate to be with Father Peter when Indian won laurels in the field of sports said, “Today, whatever I am, it is because of him.”
In 2006, Father Nuffel was conferred with the Jharkhand Ratna award. Prior to that in the same year, he was honoured with the Belgium’s highest award by PM Guy Verhofstadt for his contribution in education and social work in New Delhi. Recipient of Knight of the Crown Order, Belgium’s highest civilian award, Nuffel’s body was buried at the premises of St Ignatius on Wednesday.