Cardinal Poola Anthony Elected President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India: Historic Milestone for Dalit Leadership

Bengaluru, February 8, 2026 – His Eminence Cardinal Poola Anthony, Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad and India’s first Dalit cardinal, has been elected as the new President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body representing the country’s nearly 20 million Catholics.

The election took place on February 7, 2026, during the ongoing General Assembly of the CBCI at St. John’s Medical College in Bengaluru. Cardinal Poola, aged 64, succeeds Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, who served in the role for the past four years. The position carries a two-year term.

Cardinal Poola, born on November 15, 1961, in Poluru village in the Diocese of Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), was ordained a priest in 1992 for the Diocese of Cuddapah (now Kadapa). He served in various pastoral roles before being appointed Bishop of Kurnool in 2008. Pope Francis named him Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad on November 19, 2020, and he was installed on January 3, 2021.

In a landmark move, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of cardinal on August 27, 2022, during a consistory in Vatican City, assigning him the titular church of Santi Protomartiri a Via Aurelia Antica. This made him the first Dalit (from a Scheduled Caste background) and the first Telugu-speaking prelate to become a cardinal in the history of the Catholic Church.

His election as CBCI President is seen as a significant step toward greater representation and inclusion within the Indian Church, especially for marginalized communities. Earlier, the Church had a tribal leader in Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo (Archbishop of Ranchi) from 2004 to 2008.

Cardinal Poola has been actively involved in social outreach, including roles such as Director of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (2004–2008), and has focused on education, poverty alleviation, and pastoral care in rural and underserved areas.

The CBCI, which unites Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara rites, plays a key role in guiding the Church’s pastoral priorities, social outreach, and engagement on national issues. Cardinal Poola’s leadership comes at a time when the Church navigates challenges related to religious freedom, social justice, and nation-building.

Tributes and congratulations have poured in from across the Catholic community, with many highlighting his humble origins and commitment to the poor as inspiring symbols of hope and change.