YMCA Calcutta and the Early Beginning

The YMCA in India took roots in what is now Kolkata, way back in 1857, though a beginning was made in August 1854. On February 27, 1857, the Calcutta Christian Juvenile Society of 1822 formed by John Lawsan, a Baptist Missionary associated with William Carey, changed its name to Calcutta YMCA. This was the beginning of the very first YMCA in Asia to be followed by the one in Colombo, Trivandrum, Bombay, Madras and several others. By the 1880s there were several YMCA's in South India. In 1890, David McConaughy, a young American from the International Committee of the American YMCAs arrived in Madras and founded the very first YMCA there. He was later instrumental in forming the Indian National Council of YMCAs, the forerunner of the National Council of YMCAs of India, after a conference in 1891. The National Council of YMCAs of India is the apex body of the Indian YMCAs entrusted with guiding and overseeing in general the activities of its affiliated associations and providing a direction to the Indian YMCA Movement as a whole.

The Genesis of the National Council of Ymcas of India

David McConaughy convened an All-India Convention of the then 35 local associations along with a few smaller associations set up in the London Mission area of Travancore by lay Missionaries, Dr. E. Sherwood Fry of Neyyoor. The Convention, during February 20-21, 1891 at the Madras Association of the YMCA in Esplanade adopted a Resolution for constituting a National Council. The first Indian National Committee comprised 17 persons. The headquarters for the National Committee was in Madras for one year and the Convention unanimously elected Mr. S. Sathianadhan as Chairman, W.R. Arbuthnot as Hony. Treasurer and David McConaughy as its first Secretary. The national headquarters was situated in Calcutta between 1891 and 1964, finally shifting to New Delhi in 1964. The National Council celebrated its centenary in 1991. The first Indian Bishop V.S. Azariah was the first Indian YMCA Secretary and K.T. Paul OBE, an associate of Mahatma Gandhi was the first Indian National General Secretary in 1916.

Spread of the Indian Movement

The India YMCA Movement has 588 affiliated and 450 non-affiliated local associations across nine Regions of the country with the membership standing at around 2 lakhs, comprising both men and women. There are at present 140 YMCA Professional on the national cadre of Secretaries in India. The Indian YMCA is the second largest network of YMCAs in the world next only to the USA and is an affiliate of the World Alliance of YMCAs and the Asia & Pacific Alliance of YMCAs which groups 27 member-movements. The Indian YMCA is a Christ-centred, youth-focused and mission-oriented movement.

Time-Lime of the YMCA in India

1857 : First YMCA in Asia is formed in Calcutta
1873 : YMCA Trivandrum established
1875 : YMCA Bombay established
1886 : YMCA Thrissur established
1888 : YMCA Kunnamkulam (Kerala) established
1890 : YMCA Madras established
1891 : National Council of YMCAs of India is formed in Madras and YMCA fraternal Secretary from USA, David McConaughy becomes the first National Secretary
1900 : YMCA Bangalore established
1904 : National Head-quarters shifted to Russel Street, Calcutta
1911 : YMCA Training School for Secretaries was started in Calcutta
1916 : K.T.Paul becomes first Indian National General Secretary
1918 : Sri.K.T.Paul coins the word “Rural Reconstruction” and the YMCA starts Rural Demonstration Centres
1919 : Sir.K.T.Paul establishes the YMCA Indian Student Hostel in London
1920 : YMCA College of Physical Education is started in Madras
1927 : YMCA New Delhi established
1931 : First High School Boys’ Hostel built in YMCA Boys Town in Tirupattur
1937 : 21st World Conference of the YMCAs is held in Mysore (the first in India and Asia)
1939 : YMCA Ernakulam established
1964 : National Head-quarters shifted to Massey Hall in New Delhi
1969 : YMCA Institute of Engineering is started in Faridabad with German assistance
1973 : K.M.Philip becomes the first Indian and first Asian to become the President of the World Alliance of YMCAs
1975 : National Head-quarters shifted to Bharat Yuvak Bhavan, New Delhi
1998 : Contemporary Mission statement of YMCAs of India is adopted at the 29th National Triennial Convention of the National Council of YMCAs of India at Madurai, Tamil Nadu