Most Rev. Dr. A.A.S Durairaj SVD

Most Rev. Alangaram Arokia Sebastin Durairaj, SVD was born on May 3, 1957 at Thirunagar in the Diocese of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. 

He is the first child of four children born to Mr Alangaram and Mrs Rosari. After attending elementary school in the hometown and in Madurai, he joined St. Charles Seminary in Tiruchirapalli for the Society of the Divine Word in 1971.

 He completed his Pre-University Course while he was in St. Charles Seminary Trichy, TN. He completed his Juniorate programme at Palda Seminary in Indore in 1975 and did his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) at P.M.B. Gujarati Science College, Indore and M.A. in Psychology at Government Arts and Commerce College in Indore. 

He completed his novitiate at Khurda in Indore and made his first profession in 1979. He did his theological studies at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune and made his perpetual profession there on June 12, 1984 and was ordained a priest on May 8, 1985 at Thirunagar, Madurai. 

Thereafter, he served at Meghanagar (Jhabua) and was Co-Pastor at Jhabua (1985-1987). He also served as the Procurator of SVD Vidhya Bhavan, Bhopal (1987-1988), Prefect of the students at Juniorate Palda (1988-1993), Spiritual Director at Khrist Premalaya Regional Philosophate, Bhopal (1995-1996), Rector at SVD Vidya Bhavan, Bhopal (1996-1999), Assistant Director, Snehalaya, Centre for Spirituality in Indore (2003- 2004) and Rector at SVD Vidya Bhavan Philosophate, Bhopal

 (2004-2005). 

In 2005, he was elected Provincial Superior of SVD Central Indian Province and was re-elected in 2008. He has a postgraduate degree (M.Ed.) in Counseling from Loyola University in Chicago and a Doctorate in Counsellor Education at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh (USA). He has been appointed Bishop of Khandwa Diocese by Pope Benedict XVI on May 11, 2009 and was ordained bishop on July 16, 2009. He was declared as the Archbishop of Bhopal by Pope Francis on 4 October 2021 and  installed as Archbishop on 27 November 2021.

During his 12 years as the bishop of Khandwa  he built 3 new Parishes, 2 English medium SCHOOLS, 

Renovated many hindi medium schools, constructed  4  new  hostels to promote education for the poor students,

initiated social service activities among farmers, Promoted schools for girls' higher education, built houses for the  poor. 

Archbishop Durai Raj is very kind hearted, soft spoken with numerous qualities of an effective administrator. 

After steering the life of the Church in Madhya Pradesh for 30 years through the Archdiocese of Bhopal, Archbishop Eugene laid down his office and handed over to Bishop Pascal Topno S.J., of Ambikapur, who was promoted as Archbishop of Bhopal on 20th May 1994.

Born:15 Nov 1917
Ordained Priest: 29 Sep 1994
Bishop of Nagpur: 03 Oct 1951
Archbishop of Nagpur: 25 Sept 1953
Archbishop of Bhopal: 13 Mar 1963
Retired: 20 May 1994
Eternal Rest: 18 Mar 2003

Archbishop Leo Cornelio SVD was born on March 14, 1945 in Kukkunje, near the coastal city of Udupi in Karnataka to Late Mr. Valerian Cornelio and Mrs. Rose Cornelio.

 After completing his primary schooling in his native place, at the early age of thirteen he was recruited by a well known SVD German missionary, Fr. Peter Verhalen, and was admitted to

Rajeshwar Vidhyalaya, Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. There he continued his studies from 1958 to1962. These four years of studies in Hindi medium, helped him to be conversant in the national language. 

 After completing two years in the juniorate of the Divine Word Society in Mhow where he studied Latin and other disciplines meant to integrate his life with spiritual and intellectual training, he joined the novitiate (1964-66) for spiritual and religious formation. After his first profession, he graduated in Philosophy and in Theology at the Papal Athenaeum, Pune in the year 1968 and 1972 respectively. After his philosophical studies, he was assigned to an Institute in Goa for an intensive year of training exposure. During this time, he helped in the construction of the SVD seminary and taught the students English and Mathematics. 

 Having made the Religious Profession on 11th June, he was ordained a priest in his native parish at Mount Rosary Church, Kallianpur on 14th November,1972 by the then Bishop of Mangalore, Bishop Basil S. D'Souza. Soon after his ordination, he joined Gyan Ashram, Mumbai to assist Fr. George Proksch SVD, a German missionary who made significant contribution to

music, dance and Hindi writings. Later, he was assigned in Dahod, in Baroda Diocese where he worked for eleven years, first as teacher, then as the Vice Principal of St. Stephen's Higher Secondary School, and as assistant parish priest of St. Joseph's Parish. During this time, he actively involved himself in teaching, pastoral work, and youth activities. 

While in Dahod, he obtained Master's degree in English literature from the State University and took up specialized studies in the field of Education.  After that he was appointed the Principal and Parish Priest in Dahod, where with his active involvement and polite behaviour, he endeared himself to the students and the public alike. In Dahod, to provide jobs to the unemployed youth, he also set up a technical school with five departments. 

In June 1983 he travelled to Rome for a spiritual and theological course. On his return to India in 1984, he was elected as Provincial Superior of the SVD Central Indian province with its headquarters in Indore. Three years later, in 1987, he was re-elected to the same position. In June 1988, at the SVD General Chapter held in Rome, he was elected a General Councillor.

 He served for two terms of six years each in that position.

 As a General Councillor, he has travelled far and wide in the U.S., Canada, Australia,Caribbean Islands, South America, Africa, Asia as well as Europe, and has participated in many international meetings and conferences.

 Besides being well acquainted with several Indian languages and English he is also proficient in Italian, Spanish, French, German and Indonesian. Almost towards the fag end of his second term as General Councillor, Pope John Paul II appointed him as Bishop of Khandwa Diocese. As a dedicated shepherd, he promoted spiritual renewal in the diocese as well as the educational and social development apostolate to a great extent.

In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed him as a member of Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People; and in 2006 he was reappointed by Pope Benedict XVI for a second term for the same. He was also the chairman of the CBCI Commission for Youth and Chairperson of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) as well as of YCS/YSM, both at the

national and Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh level. Besides, he was a member of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications and also the financial administrator for the Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh Regional Major Seminaries at Bhopal and Ashta. 

On 10 Dec., 2015 on International Human Rights Day he has been bestowed with the award with the title - Ambassador of Peace, in New Delhi by the council of Justice, Peace,Solidarity and harmony.