Rajarethinam Arokiasamy Sundaram (RA Sundaram) was born on 10 June 1905 in Megathur of Valampuri of

Thanjavur Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...

. He was ordained a priest 24 February 1941. He was appointed as first Bishop of Thanjavur on 4 February 1953. He served nearly 33 years as Bishop of Thanjavur. He died on 28 August 1998. Besides his pastoral works, the bishop's multidimensional approach on the promotion of education and socio-cultural economic measures benefited different sections of the society.

Early life

Sundaram was first son of Rajarathinam and Lourdu Mary, in devout family of Valampuri, Thanjavur. He finished his school education in Thanjavur and

Palayamkottai Palayamkottai (also Palayankottai) is a neighbourhood in Tirunelveli City, incorporated within the Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation. It is situated on the east bank of the Thamirabarani river, with the exception of its downtown area, whi ...

. He joined St. Joseph's College,

Thiruchirapalli Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...

for higher studies.

Priesthood

After finishing his studies, Sundaram decided to work for a few years and then join the seminary. For a short period, he taught English at the St. Xavier's college, Palayamkottai. He got an offer to work as a professor of physics at St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling. After three years, Sundaram joined the minor seminary at

Santhome Santhome is a locality in Mylapore in Chennai city (formerly Madras) in India. History The word ''Santhome'' or ''San Thome'' is derived from Saint Thomas. The tradition is that he was martyred in AD 72 at St.Thomas Mount in the city, and was ...

. Sundaram joined the Urban College in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

to enable his ordination in six years. He was an outstanding seminarian there at Urban college and a member of the literary association, editing and publishing newsletters and compering programs in the Radio Vatican. Sundaram was ordained as priest in 1941. Fr. Sundaram celebrated his first two mass in the St. Paul's Cathedral and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Bishop of Thanjavur

Fr. Sundaram was appointed as assistant Parish Priest at

Vallam Vallam is a panchayat town in the Thanjavur taluk of Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Demographics 2011 Indian census, Vallam has a population of 14,495. Males constituted 48% and females 52%. Vallam has an average liter ...

. Fr. Sundaram was appointed as Headmaster of Santhome High School, Mylapore. His efforts brings this school as one of the best school in the city, within a short period. The Diocese of Thanjavur was created on 22 November 1952 and Fr. Sundaram was assumed charge in 1953 as First Bishop of Thanjavur. He formed two social service societies at Thanjavur and

Pudukkottai Pudukkottai is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a large city located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different times, by the mutharaiyar dynasty , Cholas, ...

that helped uplift the status of the poor . Some of their schemes had been unique and innovative and one among them was providing lands to the landless. Because of his efforts, there is phenomenal increase in the number of educational, religious and social welfare institutions in and around

. Even today, the diocese of Thanjavur has the highest number of boarding homes for students in India. ;Our Lady of Health Hospital Our Lady of Health Hospital was the out come of the ardent desire of Fr. Sundaram to render medical help to the sick and the needy people of Thanjavur. Because of Fr. Sundaram's efforts, On 4 April 1961 the hospital was opened by Mrs. Lourdammal Simon Minister of for Local administrative of Tamil Nadu with 16 beds and 3 sisters. Currently this hospital have 200 beds in these half of beds for free of cost. This hospital having multiple wards like Medical Ward, Surgical Ward, Maternity Ward, Pediatric Ward, Gynecology Ward, Ophthalmology Ward, Operation Theater, Casualty and Emergency unit and Out Patient department.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sundaram, Rajarethinam Arokiasamy 1905 births 1998 deaths 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in India