Bangalore 21 March 2020 (CCBI): Most Rev. Soundararaju Periyanayagam SDB, (70) passed way on Saturday 21 March 2020 at 12.15am at St. Thomas Hospital, Chetpet, Vellore, Tamilnadu. He was a cardiac patient and was under treatment. The funeral details are awaited.
Bishop Soundararaju Periyanayagam was born on 6 June 1949 at Kolappalur, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu. After his school studies he joined the Congregation of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and made his first profession on 24 May 1970. He was ordained priest on 25 June 1983 at Manchester, England. He was appointed as the sixth Bishop of Vellore diocese, Tamilnadu on 11 July 2006 and ordained Bishop on 24 August 2006.
He holds BA in economics from Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, MA in economics from Loyola College, Chennai, MA in theology from Ushaw College, Durham University, UK and Doctorate in Economics St. Joseph College, Bharadhidassan University, Tirchy.
He was the professor and vice principal (1983-1988, 1991-1994), Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur; principal (1994-2000), Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, rector and parish priest (2001-2004), St. Lourdes’ Shrine, Perambur, Chennai, rector (2004-2006), Don Bosco, Gandhinagar, Vellore. He was a priest for 36 years and a Bishop for 13 years.