Pope Appoints Bishop Udumala Bala as Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
Bala’s appointment expected to bring renewed vigor to region
Hyderabad: Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Udumala Bala, currently serving as the Bishop of Warangal, as the new Archbishop of Visakhapatnam. The announcement was made on Saturday, marking a significant transition in the leadership of the Archdiocese.
Born on June 18, 1954, in Ghanpur in Telangana, Bishop Udumala Bala was ordained a priest on February 20, 1979. He holds a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. Throughout his priesthood, he has served in various pastoral and administrative roles within the Diocese of Warangal. 
From 1994 to 2006, Bishop Bala was a professor of Moral Theology at St. John’s Regional Seminary in Hyderabad, where he also served as Rector from 1997 to 2006. In 2006, he was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) in Bangalore, a position he held until his appointment as Bishop of Warangal in 2013. 
Appointed as the Bishop of Warangal on April 13, 2013, by Pope Francis, Bishop Bala was consecrated on May 23, 2013. During his tenure, he focused on pastoral care, education, and social services within the diocese. 
The Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam has been awaiting new leadership, and Bishop Bala’s appointment is expected to bring renewed vigor to the region. His extensive experience in theology, education, and administration positions him well to lead the Archdiocese.
As Archbishop of Visakhapatnam, Bishop Bala will oversee a significant catholic population and numerous institutions dedicated to education, healthcare, and social services. The faithful of the Archdiocese look forward to his leadership and pastoral guidance in the years to come.
This appointment reflects Pope Francis’s confidence in Bishop Bala’s abilities to shepherd the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam into a new era of spiritual growth and community development.