Bethany Convent, Khandwa (16.07.2002 )
Bethany’s mission in Madhya Pradesh took root on 16 July 2002, when the first and only community of Bethany Sisters in the state was established in Khandwa at the invitation of Most Rev. Leo Cornelio, SVD, Bishop of Khandwa. With deep faith and readiness to serve, the pioneering community — Sr Shaila (the first Superior and Principal), Sr Agnes Gratia, Sr Clara Alvares, and Sr Beena John — was entrusted with the responsibility of starting and administering Sophia Convent School on behalf of the diocese.
Though facilities were limited, the sisters began their mission with zeal. With just three classrooms almost ready, they opened Nursery, LKG, and UKG on 17 July 2002, welcoming 155 little children on the very first day. As their own convent was not yet ready, the sisters stayed at the Bishop’s House from 27 June to 21 September 2002. Later, they moved into two classrooms of the school building, living simply and joyfully amidst fields, nearly a kilometre away from any habitation.
In 2001 the Congregation purchased a plot of land under the dynamic leadership of Sr Nora BS the Provincial Superior and the undaunted efforts of Sr Jacintha Herold the Province Procurator. After a decade of patient endurance and steady growth, the community shifted to their newly built convent on 3 November 2012 constructed on the Congregation’s land.
Education, however, is only one dimension of their mission. The sisters are actively engaged in teaching catechism, visiting families, conducting SCC meetings, and participating in Eucharistic celebrations in the villages. Their pastoral outreach has borne fruit — even inspiring one young woman to answer God’s call through Bethany. The community also provides spiritual and pastoral guidance to an adopted village in the parish, becoming true companions on the faith journey of the people.
Today, the mission at Khandwa bears witness to a remarkable journey of renewal and growth. Through the dedicated service of successive Superiors and Principals—Sr. Irene Mary D’Souza, Sr. Isabella Agnes, Sr. Anita Mendonca, and at present Sr. Lyra Lasrado BS, the Superior and Principal—together with the committed support of sisters like Sr. Nynette and Sr. Naveena Preeti, the school has blossomed into a vibrant institution. It now reaches out to thousands of students, their families, parishioners, and the wider neighbourhood, becoming not only a centre of learning but also a beacon of hope, faith, and empowerment in the region.
From its humble beginning in borrowed rooms, Bethany Convent, Khandwa, stands today as a witness of faith, service, and transformative love, carrying the Bethany Charism to the heart of Madhya Pradesh. What once began as a small seed of hope has grown into a flourishing mission that touches lives through education, pastoral care, and compassionate outreach. The community continues to radiate Christ’s light, forming generations to be instruments of peace and agents of change, thus keeping alive the vision of the Founder and the spirit of Bethany in this land.
Rooted in prayer and committed service, the Khandwa community stands as a beacon of hope and empowerment, radiating Bethany’s charism to the people of Madhya Pradesh.
