Hartmann Ashram, Izatnagar, Bareilly is a vibrant Capuchin presence in the Bareilly Diocese, uniting prayer, education, and social outreach in a single mission campus. Rooted in faith and sacrifice, it has become a beacon of evangelization and human promotion in North India.​

        In 1964, Most Rev. Br. Clementinus of Vlissengen, then Minister General of the Capuchin Order, visited India for the canonical visitation of the friars, and in 1965 he gathered the Capuchin Superiors in North India to discern the future of their mission in this vast region. One fruit of this discernment was the decision to establish a new friary at Izatnagar, Bareilly, as a stable base for Capuchin missionary and pastoral work.​

       The friary was constructed in 1966 and dedicated to Bishop Anastasius Hartmann, giving birth to what is now known as Hartmann Ashram. Within a few years, this new house grew into a flourishing mission, radiating the Franciscan spirit of simplicity, fraternity, and service.​

       In 1967, the late Br. Berard began a small school under simple thatched roofs, with only a few students and very modest facilities. This humble initiative soon became a powerful instrument of evangelization and human uplift, as more and more children came in search of education and hope.​

         Through the hard work and dedication of many Capuchin friars, this small school developed into today’s Hartmann College, a reputed institution that has formed generations of young people. By fostering discipline, academic excellence, and value-based education, the College continues to prepare responsible citizens who contribute positively to society and to the nation.​

        Alongside the friary and the school, a church was constructed to serve the spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful and was dedicated to St. Lawrence of Brindisi, a distinguished Capuchin saint and Doctor of the Church. Later, the late Bishop Conrad de Vito raised this church to the status of a parish and formally entrusted the care of the growing Catholic community to the Capuchin friars.​

         Today, the parish comprises numerous families who gather around the Word of God and the Eucharist to live their faith. The friars support them through regular liturgical celebrations, catechesis, sacramental preparation, and family visits, nurturing Christian fellowship in a rapidly changing social environment.​

         Even while administering a well-known and expanding institution like Hartmann College, the friars at Hartmann Ashram have consistently maintained a clear option for the poor, the illiterate, and the marginalized. Their service reflects the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and the Capuchin charism, which calls them to be close to those most in need.​

        A literacy programme for poor and illiterate children has been running since 1981, opening doors of basic education for those unable to access formal schooling. From 1992 onwards, this initiative was strengthened and systematized under the name Pushp Vidyalaya, through which many poor children have been educated and offered new opportunities for life.​

        Today, the friars at Hartmann Ashram remain actively engaged in educational, social, and pastoral ministries. They continue to run Hartmann College with commitment, sustain the literacy apostolate of Pushp Vidyalaya, and stay close to the sick and the poor in the surrounding neighborhoods.​

       Hartmann Ashram, Izatnagar, Bareilly thus stands as a dynamic center where the Kingdom of God is proclaimed in word and deed—through classrooms and catechism, parish life and outreach, and service to the least and the suffering. Faithful to the founding vision of 1966, it remains a sign of faith, hope, and love in the Bareilly Diocese; the property belongs to St. Fidelis Province North India, while the Capuchins remain open to collaboration with the Bareilly Diocese.​