Samineni Arulappa
Archbishop Samineni Arulappa (28 August 1924 – 13 February 2005), also known as S Arulappa, was an Indian Catholic leader who served as the Archbishop of Hyderabad from 1971 to 2000. He was the youngest priest to become an archbishop and the longest-serving Catholic archbishop in India. He was the first Hyderabad archbishop consecrated by a pope, Pope Paul VI, in Rome.
Born in Kilacheri, Tamil Nadu, Arulappa studied at the Papal Seminary in Kandy and earned licentiate degrees in philosophy and theology. He later studied public and social administration at Oxford. He was ordained a priest on 6 May 1950 and worked in Madras, teaching at seminaries, serving as a rector, and leading St. Joseph’s Anglo-Indian Boys’ High School, among other roles. He also led Christ Hall Seminary in Madurai.
After Archbishop G. Joseph Mark’s death in 1971, Arulappa was appointed Archbishop of Hyderabad. He was consecrated on 13 February 1972 and installed in March 1972. Under his leadership, the archdiocese grew from 18 parishes to about 60, with around 85 priests ordained and 37 religious congregations invited. He helped establish the Hyderabad Archdiocese Education Society and oversaw the opening of 35 high schools and 14 colleges. In 1974 he invited Blessed Mother Teresa to work in Hyderabad; the Missionaries of Charity arrived in 1978, and Mother Teresa visited in 1979.
Arulappa was known for his secular outlook, good relations with the government, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. He helped organize the annual United Christmas Celebrations with different Christian denominations. He celebrated his episcopal silver jubilee in 1997 and retired on 29 January 2000, becoming Archbishop Emeritus. He died in Secunderabad and was buried in the altar of St. Mary’s Church, Secunderabad, as per his wish.
His motto was Love and Serve. He is remembered as a principled, people-centered leader who emphasized education, social service, and cooperation across faiths.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:36 (CET).