Technical education is perhaps the most distinctive Salesian contribution to the youth of India, particularly the poorer among them. One of the very first initiatives the Salesians launched in India, soon after their arrival a hundred years ago, was an industrial school in Thanjavur, besides accepting an existing elementary school and orphanage. By taking the lead in the field of vocational training, they were not only opening up new vistas of opportunities for the youth of the region, but also showing the way to put a nation on the road to progress. Today, with over 120 institutes imparting technical training to over 23,000 youngsters across the country, the Salesians of Don Bosco are regarded as a leading non-governmental agency in the field of technical training in India. (Courtesy:DB Centenary Souvenir)