Divyadaan, Salesian Institute of Philosophy, was erected within the already existing Institute, Don Bosco Youth Centre, 4 Koregaon Road, Pune—411 001, as a house of immediate post-novitiate training and study of philosophy of the Salesian Province of Bombay in June 1980. On 24 May, 1984, the Institute was shifted to its new site at Don Bosco Marg, Nashik—422 005.
The Institute was affiliated to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS), Rome in 1982. In March 2000 the Institute was granted Aggregation to the Faculty of Philosophy of UPS by a decree of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, (prot.n. 1035/98). This has made it possible for Divyadaan to offer a Master of Philosophy Degree Course, with specialization in the fields of Education and Social Communication.
The two year B.Ph. course was changed to a three year course in June 2007. This was necessitated by the changes initiated by the Faculty of Philosophy of the Salesian Pontifical University.
Divyadaan, which is primarily at the service of the Salesian Congregation and the Church in India, has as its scope:
1. The philosophical formation, with a special focus on the Indian context, of candidates to the Catholic ministerial priesthood (Salesian, Other Religious, Diocesan) and of the laity (Christian as well as persons belonging to other faiths);
2. The formation of specialists in Systematic Philosophy, Education, and Social Communication.
The Institute aims at the elaboration of a pluridisciplinary but integrated curriculum of studies, in which philosophy plays a vital role in bringing together faith and life, faith and culture. This is done through serious dialogue with Indian thought and socio-economic realities (in particular of youth) and with the sciences of education and communication.
The licentiate students of Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik organized a symposium on the theme “Faith, Fear and the Future: From Secularism to Ethical Solidarity” on February 17, 2026. The symposium began promptly at 9 a.m. with a prayer service led by Br Joseph Thambi SDB, the moderator of the symposium. Fr Jacob Palaparambil SDB, the Registrar of the Institute, welcomed the gathering and explained the rationale behind choosing this timely and relevant theme. In his address, he also warmly congratulated the licentiate students for their dedication and hard work in organizing the symposium.
The community of Divyadaan, Nashik conducted fete games on February 1, 2026 for the city Oratory children, where our brothers frequent on Sundays. The event was also participated by the girls of Krupa Prasad, where our brothers teach English and Mathematics and Maria Vihar. There were 228 children, who participated in the event and along with them, all the brothers who frequent those oratories were also present and they were the main organizers.
The event commenced at 10.30 a.m. with the welcome speech given by Fr Ivo Coelho, the rector of the community. Fr Coelho, in his speech, encouraged the children to participate in the games enthusiastically and joyfully. After his words of welcome, the girls from Krupa Prasad and Maria Vihar gracefully performed their prayer dance and an awareness dance on the cellphone respectively. Their creative steps and colorful costumes were appreciated by all, which set the tone for the entire day.
On January 10, 2026, Divyadaan, Nashik organized a thought-provoking philosophical symposium, prepared and presented by the second-year students, guided by Fr Maria Anthuvan SDB. The symposium was centered on the theme “A Selfie with Reality,” inviting participants to reflect deeply on contemporary human existence, identity, and authenticity. The programme commenced at 9.30 a.m., beginning with a hymn, invoking the Holy Spirit, seeking God’s guidance, wisdom, and enlightenment. Following the hymn, Fr Jacob, the Registrar of the institute, formally welcomed the gathering. Apart from the Divyadaan students, there were also the students from nearby communities and their staff members. Thereafter, the moderator introduced the theme, giving a panoramic view about the day.
On 28 December 2025, the Divyadaan community organized a Football Tournament for the City Oratory Children at the Divyadaan grounds. The tournament began at 9.30 a.m. with a short prayer service led by Br. Tritwar Katara. This was followed by a brief introduction on Don Bosco by Fr. Jacob Palaparambil, the Registrar of Divyadaan. The Rector, Fr. Ivo Coelho, who was also the Chief Guest, welcomed all the teams and officially declared the Divyadaan Oratory Football Tournament 2025 open.
Nashik, Maharashtra: The Divyadaan Salesian Institute of Philosophy has secured a monumental victory at the annual short film competition organized by the prestigious St. Paul’s Institute, asserting its dominance in the creative arts. The institute’s film, “One Life, One Love,” created and produced entirely by the student brothers, achieved a magnificent dual triumph by winning both the highly coveted Best Short Film Award and the Best Actor Award.
The Divyadaan library has more than 50,000 volumes in Philosophy, Psychology, Education, Sociology, Religion, Science, the Arts, Literature and Salesiana. The library also receives over 100 Periodicals and Magazines. Most of them are in English while some are in French, German and Italian.