Emeritus Archbishop Thumma Bala dies

By Stanislaus Alla, S.J
Warangal, May 30, 2024: Emeritus Archbishop Thumma Bala of Hyderabad died on May 30 due to age-related issues. He was 80.

The death occurred at 10:25 am at Karuna Puram in Warangal during a visit to his sister.

He served as the Archbishop of Hyderabad from 2011 to 2020 and as the bishop of Warangal from 1987 to 2011.

Born on April 24, 1944, in Narimetta, Warangal Diocese, he was ordained as a priest on December 21, 1970. He pursued his theological studies in Rome and joined the faculty of St John’s Seminary, Hyderabad. The prelate was a member of the Pontifical Council for Health Care while also a member of CBCI Commission for Health Care.

Before his appointment as the bishop, he was the rector of St. Paul’s Regional Catechists’ Training Centre, Nuzivid, Vijayawada diocese from 1978-1980 and professor of Catechetics at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad from 1984 – 1986. He served as the procurator at St. John’s Regional Seminary Hyderabad from 1984-1986.

At the age of 42 he was appointed the second bishop of Warangal on November 17,1986 and was ordained bishop on March 12,1987. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him at the age of 66 as the archbishop of Hyderabad on March 12, 2011. He was installed as the tenth archbishop Hyderabad on May 5, 2011. Pope Francis has accepted his resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Hyderabad on November 19, 2020.

As a bishop he was the chairman of Telugu Regional Youth Commission from 1987-1995, chairman of Jyotirmai Society from 1990 to 1995, chairman of Regional Catechetical Commission from 1987-1995, chairman of CBCI Health Commission 2002-2006 and Member of Pontifical council for Health Care Apostolate, Vatican from 2002 -2007.

He holds Licentiate in Pastoral Theology Catechetics from Pontifical Salesian University, Rome (1980-1983). At the age of 76 he retired from the active episcopal ministry on November 19,2020.