MELVYN BROWN PRESENTS THE JOAN BROWN MEMORIAL AWARDS 2011 IN CALCUTTA



Melvyn Brown's Inaugural Speech



Melvyn Brown and Dr.Julian Sunil Martin Roy



Melvyn Brown and Vernon Thomas



YOUR CHRISTIAN NAME IS AN OASIS by Melvyn Brown

In the Years 2000 – 2010, the Bengal chapter of Catholic churches came under a different form of attack. The terrorists were Catholics , expecting a baby and were preparing to name Ruby , Arun, June, Mabtu , Raja, Jyoti or anything but not a Christian name when baptizing the infant.

                               The Times of India reported : Pope Benedict XVI who baptized 21 kids on Sunday recently, said that every new member of the faith acquires the character of a son or daughter of the Church “ starting from a Christian name. “

                                There is an anonymous Chinese proverb, “ The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names. “

                                 In the Holy Bible, the Book of Proverbs informs us, “ A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches. “ Prov.22:1

                                 The Christian name for a Catholic child is the armour of God which he wears in the face of life’s obstacles, criticism and hate. Their name overcomes all despite hardships – and, is a witness to faith when they make success and reach pinnacles of victory.

                                 In the Book of Exodus the Lord spoke to Moses saying: “ for you have found favour in my sight, and I know you by name. “Ex.33:17

                                  Christian names can be chosen from the many books published with lists of Christian names, their origins and meanings. Names of saints, common names and names of ancestors are all mandatory today. You do not need to be ‘mod’ in these difficult times when our faith needs to radiate the glory of God in the confrontation of evil and injustice. Your Christian name is an oasis for the rest of mankind.

                                    It is important to hear what Jesus had to say about a Christian name: “ To him the gatekeeper opens ; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. “ John 10:3.

                                    Our journey to God is threatened by the rising forces of evil. We must, together bear His cross. We must deflect the darkness of violence and the radical pressure of people in our midst. We can do it when we raise the banner of our Christian name.

                                    William Shakespeare, in his famous tragedy, Othello, he wrote: But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed.

                                    Jesus said to saint Mark, for truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. “Mk.9:41.

                                     Let us think about change. If you already have a non-Christian name, and you are an elderly person – do not be troubled, but do propagate, influence, and insist that new births in the family should have a Christian name at baptism. It’s not hard to do. There are many beautiful and colourful names to decide on.

                                      Pope Benedict XVI will be pleased. He made it very clear in his homily at the baptism of 21 children in the Vatican chapel : ‘every new member is a son or daughter of the Church, beginning with a Christian name.

                                       “ …and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Gen. 11: 4

Joan Brown Memorial Awards 2011

THE  JOAN  BROWN  MEMORIAL  AWARDS

                                              For the Media and Literary  Distinctions

                                                       WINNERS 2011

The Joan Brown Media and Literary Awards has been initiated and approved by Ambassadors For Jesus founder Melvyn Brown , as a Memorial to the name of his wife Joan , who passed away in 2008. Joan had been  close to all Catholic efforts in the range of literature and in the media. She was his muse, encouraging and promoting Melvyn in his writings and in his media events. Joan was an avid reader,an honest critic and kept herself well informed on world and local news events on TV and the newspapers.

                                       It was decided that the Annual AFJ Awards and the Anglo-Indian Awards would remain to inspire and encourage future generations in Catholic chapters of spiritual and mundane growth as it has done over the years.

                                       The Joan Brown Awards will be presented for Creative Writings and for excellence in Media and Documentary works . It has been settled that each year nominations will be received for Catholics who fall under the perspective of the awards at year end (November-December) and the winners to be declared by January-February of the New Year.

                                       The Joan Brown Memorial Committee will avail to Melvyn Brown their selection of three names in each category for his final choice of the winner or winners .  The Awards will carry a Citation and Trophy.

                                       THIS YEARS WINNERS ARE :

                                       Julian Sunil Martin Roy , for his Poems and Research

                                       Dr. Leonard Gomes , for his Letters in the Media

                                       Vernon Thomas , for his short stories for children

                                       Fr.Lawrence Abello,sj.,for his Pro-Life and Protection of the faith.

                                       Rudolph Vance, for his sports reporting and other events .

                                                             THEY WON BECAUSE  :

                                       Julian Sunil Martin Roy has been nominated for his book of poems , Tiny Bouquet ( has 250 verses ) on diverse themes. The book is of precious value to our present-day collection of Indo-English writings. Also, for Roy ’s research and documentation in the book , A Brief History of Portuguese Converts ( Atharo Gram – Dacca Catholics ).The book is of considerable importance for future generations. Congratulations Julian.

                                        Dr. Leonard Gomes, ex-professor of St.Xavier’s College, Calcutta , has contributed a wealth of insight and knowledge through his “Letters to the Editor “ in The Herald and other publications. His views and opinions has been a source of much assistance to readers and critics . Congratulations Leonard.

                                          Vernon Thomas has published hundreds of short stories for children, and a series of re-telling in English stories from Indian legends and folk tales. His style of writing is crisp and clear. The stories are little gems for all time to come. We pride in his nomination. Congratulations Vernon .

                                           Rudolph Vance from Pune is better known to his friends as “Ruddy “. He has a flair for reporting on sports, especially on football and hockey. Rudolph has the makings of another Clary Miller. He is versatile in reporting on local events and on Catholic programmes. Congratulations Rudolph.

                                           WINNERS will be duly informed by mail shortly.

Slice of England on Elliott Road!

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2002 10:19:13 PM ]

NILANJANA BHOWMICK  "It’s on Elliot Road... just enter through Ripon Street and pass by St. Mary’s Church and my house will be 300-400 metres from there." When the taxi deposited me outside my destination, I looked around to see a typical Kolkata bylane, congested with traffic, loud motorcycle horns, people sitting on the ledge of houses chatting, leisurely footsteps making way for small items of groceries from the neighbourhood stores. There was a subtle sense of decay, which hung over the street despite the busy hubbub of daily life. Suddenly I saw the name ‘Brown’ in big bold letters on the grill gate. Brown —Melvyn Brown — who calls himself ‘chronicler of the Anglo-Indian community’ is the author of several books on Anglo-Indian history and culture, a vociferous community worker and the founder-editor of The Anglo-Indian Newsletter and The All Parish Newspaper. When the door opened, I was greeted by a warm face and ushered into the living room. As I sat myself down, I took a moment to look around. From where I was sitting, the left side of the room was occupied with an altar with images of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary, the same images adorning the adjoining walls as well. In front of me were four clocks, giving the times of five different corners of the world. As I figured then and Melvyn explained later that the patrons for his newspapers are scattered all over the world. As I sat in the room, I had a distinct sense of deja vu and it was clear to me as soon as Melvyn re-entered the room with a glass of fizzy and some munchies in his hand... I have been here before. The place was different, the people were different, but the spirit was the same — the Anglo-Indian spirit. I remembered my meeting with James Sinclair in Surrey and with the Smith family in Manchester. They were different people but all of them have preserved that same Anglo-Indian spirit. Melvyn’s house exuded a totally different aura from the scene just outside. His was a secluded world, calmer and quieter and somewhat more polished. I was reminded of what one Anglo-Indian woman, Geraldine Charles in England, had pointed out to me, "The Anglo-Indians have never seen themselves as Indians. Their customs and cultures are not Indian." When I interviewed the Anglo-Indians who have migrated to Britain, they seem to have an acute sense of longing for back home in Kolkata. As Nina Jenkins, an ex-researcher in Anglo-Indian family history in the UK, said, "Its rather like a child who says I hate my mum, I hate my mum. But as soon as someone else says something to the child he runs back to take refuge in the warmth of his mother’s lap." Before coming to meet Melvyn I was going through Anglo-Indian Studies edited by Melvyn and in there Phyllis N. Stuart, to my surprise that, says, "Having read several news terms on the plight of Anglo-Indians in Kolkata particularly made me think that those who had emigrated to England had made the better choice. They have been accepted here without any prejudice or alienation which still exists in India." A stark contrast is Curt Amos, 26 years old, born and brought up in Kolkata. His looks are very European, making him stand out. However, I found him comfortable with his identity unlike his British counterparts who are grappling with a losing sense of their identity and a hazy sense of acceptance. I am left wondering is it the spirit of Kolkata, which makes this possible — a city, which actually has the modesty to live and let live? The author has worked for the BBC in London (This is part of a series that explores the numerous sub cultures and communities that add sparkle to the Kolkata mosaic). 

  

Anglo-Indian Race Preservation

Melvyn Brown Says…….
"The advantages are clear. Preservation is invaluable, especially when it comes to heritage and culture. I have a few good visions with potential rather than commercial correctness. One could diversify the risk in projects to preserve and protect the Anglo-Indian community’s inevitable fate. This book of Anglo-Indian perspectives from the writings of journalists and researchers looking in from the outside reveals a kaleidoscope of community wealth and sorrow documented, published in newspapers having a life-span of only one day, or in magazines which live for a month- and vanish into white-paper morgues. I have kept clippings of the best articles, letters, quotes, events and other items of interest to the history of the Anglo-Indian race, from its birth, growth and betrayal. All this painstakingly preserved for posterity, for those dedicated souls who will rise from the ashes-and for those who will reconstruct the past, and build a better tomorrow.
This book is only an introduction to my personal Archives, scratching the surface of the insurmountable information, notes and documents. I am a Social Anthropologist and Chronicler of the Anglo-Indian community, open to scholars, friends and researchers. If you enjoy reading this book for whatever reasons, and if you are empowered by its story to make a difference-I invite you to take my visions a step forward.
-Melvyn Brown
(The above message has been taken from the "Foreword" of the book, "The Anglo-Indian Archives" by Melvyn Brown. Published by Melvyn Brown. Calcutta. 2001. )