Contact Details
Claret Niketan
Piranwadi P.O.
Belgaum- 590 014
Karnataka, INDIA
Tel.: (+91) (0)831 2412157
E-mail: claretnik@rediffmail.com

Inception and Development
When the Claretian missionary activites began expanding, urgent need was felt in recruiting more vocations from all the different areas of India. Responding to this need, the inter-regional minor seminary at Belgaum began operating from 1987. Fr. Mathew Njayarkulam was the first Rector of the minor seminary. The search for a piece of land for the construction of the Minor Seminary resulted in purchasing 9.25 acres of land at Piranwadi, six kms away from the city, near the Belgaum–Goa highway. A beautiful house was constructed under the supervision of Fr. Francis Kalampukattu and the new seminary was opened and blessed on 8 June 1991 by Rt. Rev. Ignatius Lobo, the Bishop of Belgaum.

Minor Seminary
The main objective of the minor seminary is to provide opportunity for regular academic studies, particularly pre-university studies. It also aims to open new avenues to foster intellectual, moral and spiritual growth of the minor seminarians. While the first year students are given initiation for the spiritual and religious formation, the second and third years attend the pre-university classes in the colleges in the city. Being a diversified group in its vitality with the blend of cultures from different parts of India Claret Niketan is a venue to prepare the ground for the future of the Claretian Mission.