Hyderabad, India - 4 February 2022 - It is the day of the installation of the new Provincial of the Province of St Joseph, Hyderabad, Father Santiagu Thomas who has received the mandate of leading, guiding, animating and governing the Province for the next 6-year period from 2022 to 2028. It was Father Biju Michael, the General Councillor for South Asia, who presided over the Holy Mass during which the decree of nomination of provincial was read and Father Thomas Santiagu, after making the profession of faith and taking the oath of fidelity, was installed as Provincial in the presence of fellow confreres of the Province, confreres from Bangalore, Chennai and Tiruchy Provinces, members of the Salesian Family, family members, well-wishers, friends and young people.

After the Holy Mass was celebrated at the Shrine of Don Bosco, Bandlaguda Jagir, Hyderabad, a meaningful and colourful felicitation programme was organized in the Parish Community Hall where the former provincial, Father Thathireddy Vijaya Bhaskar was profusely thanked for his yeoman service over the past six years and Father Thomas Santiagu, the newly installed Provincial, was welcomed and assured of support, collaboration, and active participation of every member of the Province. The new Provincial in his maiden speech encouraged everyone to be grateful to the Lord for His active presence in our lives and to work as His co-partners in spreading the fragrance of His love according to the style and charism of Don Bosco.

As the Province of Hyderabad is thankful to the Lord for blessing the Salesians with a young, vibrant and convinced leader for another 6-year period, and confident and certain that the leadership of Father Thomas Santiagu will lead them into a new era of change, growth, development and transformation for the integral development of young people and people in general. The Hyderabad Salesians thanked the Lord for giving them an opportunity to open the doors of the Province to newness through the person of Father Thomas Santiagu, the beloved Provincial.