Dedication to our Director : Late Rev. Dr. Subhang Sodemba

Late Rev. Dr. Subhang Sodemba was born on June 11, 1926 in Kalimpong. He studied in the Scottish Universities Mission Institution today popularly known as S.U.M.I. He got saved during the great revival movement that swept in Kalimpong in 1940-41. In 1945 he joined the Indian Army and served in the administrative department of the Gorkha regiment for three years. He was then posted to several army headquarters in Jhansi, New Delhi and finally Dehra Dun where he met his wife Ruth Sodemba and got married. He voluntarily resigned from the army job and came back to Kalimpong in 1953 with his newly wedded wife. After coming home he once again joined the Armed Police Force in Nepal as an officer only to resign after six months of service. Upon arriving back in Kalimpong he and his wife joined the local Pentecostal Church and involved themselves in the activities of the church.

In 1954-55 he got a job in Dr. Graham’s Homes as an accountant. He was responsible for maintaining the finances and overseeing the feeding of the children in the homes. He worked for fourteen and a half years in Dr. Graham’s Homes.

During 1968 landslide that occurred in the hills instilled in him to start a home in Kalimpong for the orphans and destitute children. Swedish missionaries who were then in Kalimpong helped him to start the Children’s Faith Home. Thus Children’s Faith Home was dedicated on April 2, 1969 taking in twenty five orphaned children. After taking the responsibility of caring for the needs or orphaned and destitute children he gave up his secular job in the homes, gave away he land and house in the Homes ground area and came to live with the orphaned children in Dr. B. L. Dixit Road only to devote his full life for the orphanage work and evangelistic work in West Bengal, North east our region and the neighbouring countries as well.

Late Rev. Dr. Sodemba had a great burden for the children. During his evangelistic travel wherever he used to see children in crisis he used to bring them to Children’s Faith Home for care and adoption. Today thousands of children have passed out from the home and have become eminent members of the society.

In 1984 he was inspired to start a small Nursery school christened Mount Carmel School for the people of Kalimpong in a small convertible garage with seven students and two lady staffs. This was later shifted to a one storey house with five rooms and then to the present Mount Carmel School building. The school started upgrading slowly. Dr. Sodemba had always envisioned Mount Carmel High School at its peak. He passed on May 10, 2001 after dedicating the Senior Mount Carmel School Building.

He and his wife Ruth Sodemba were awarded medals by the Swedish government along with Mother Teresa for their meritorious service for the children in the year 1992. Though he is no longer with us today we deeply remember him.

His dreams and visions will always be alive in our hearts and in our souls. Mount Carmel School is a result of his persistent prayer, hard work and his efforts. The infrastructure that is built is not what matters, but what really matters is that his efforts and prayers have been a source of inspiration for hundreds and thousands of both young and old minds which is worthy of counting him a true leader in his own right.