Fr George Tharaniyil (TJ) was born on 15 August 1966 in Padimaruth, Kerala, India. He joined the Salesian aspirantate in Mannuthy, Kerala in 1978. He made his novitiate in Kotagiri, India and made his first profession on 24 May 1984. His perpetual profession was on 4 June 1991. He did his theological studies in Tangaza University College, Nairobi and was ordained a priest on 23 April 1996 at Padimaruth, India.
Fr TJ (as he is known) came to Mafinga, Tanzania, as a missionary in 1986 to start his practical training. Later he returned to India to do his diploma and Teacher Training certificate in Motor Vehicle Mechanics. He later came back to Nairobi to complete his theological studies. He also holds an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from Strathmore University Business School, Nairobi, Kenya.
After his ordination, he was posted to Don Bosco Youth Training Centre, Iringa Tanzania, as the principal of the technical training centre from 1996 to 2005. In the last year of his stay in Iringa, he also served as the Rector of the institution. In August 2005 he was appointed the Provincial Economer of the Salesian Province of Eastern Africa (AFE), a service he rendered for 9 years, until 2014. In July 2014, he was appointed as the director of the newly constituted Salesian TVET network body in Africa and Madagascar – Don Bosco Tech Africa (DBTA), a post he has held to date.
The AFE Province, in addition to having a new Provincial whose installation will take place next August, will comprise three nations (Kenya, Sudan and Southern Sudan), given the separation of Tanzania (new Province), from 8 September 2023.
