Fr. Santiagu was born on 23 August 1976 in Kottaiyur of Sivagangai District in Tamil Nadu. His family belonged to the St. Francis Xavier Parish, Broadway, Chennai. After completing Higher Secondary schooling in the Salesian school of St. Gabriel, Broadway, he joined the pre-novitate at Pallithammam (then belonging to Chennai Province and now to Trichy Province). He joined the Hyderabad Province as a novice and was sent to Yercaud for his post-novitiate formation. He did his practical training for one year in the Philosophate at Karunapuram and for two years in the Novitiate at Manoharabad and then completed his Masters’ Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Sacred Heart College, Tirupatur. He made his perpetual profession on the feast of Don Bosco, 31 January 2004. After completing his Theological formation at Sacred Heart Theological College, Shillong, he was ordained on 27 December 2005.
He was very much involved in pastoral and social ministry of the province during the first five years of his priesthood. In the year 2011 he was appointed as the Director of Bosco Seva Kendra, the development office of the Province. He was also appointed as a member of the Provincial council in 2011. He served as the Rector of Don Bosco, Ongole, for three years from 2015-2018. He became the Vice Provincial in the year 2018. Since then, he has been serving as the Vice Provincial of the Province. He also served the Province in the capacity of delegate for Youth Ministry and Formation. He is a cheerful son of Don Bosco known for his love for the young and the poor.
The Salesian Congregation wishes Fr. Thomas SANTIAGU God’s blessings in his new ministry of leading the Province of Hyderabad, India as its 6th Provincial.
