He was born on 2nd February 1932, to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Thornaplackal, at Manimala, in the diocese of Changanacherry, Kerala, and entered the Salesian aspirantate at Tirupattur in June 1946. He did his novitiate at Kotagiri and made his first profession on 24 May 1953. He was Ordained a priest on 8th December 1963 at Shillong. The first years of his priesthood (1964-1970) were spent in the missions of North-East India. Back in Chennai he served in Don Bosco Egmore, Don Bosco, Irinjalakuda in Kerala and Don Bosco, Broadway, Chennai. From 1977 to 1991, he worked in the Province of Kolkata at Don Bosco-Park Circus, Don Bosco-Liluah and Don Bosco-Kokar. From 1991, he has served various communities in Chennai, particularly, Lourdes Shrine (Perambur), St. Theresa`s (Madumanagar), Pavunjur, and St. Antony`s Sathya Murthy Nagar. He worked with dedication and commitment to spread the mission of Don Bosco especially with the poor and spread the love of Christ to those entrusted under his care. In 1994, he was appointed parish priest of Madumanagar, a former sub-station of Perambur. In the nine years he served there, he not only built a new parish church but transformed the parish into a vibrant Christian community. So also, his eight years (2008-2015) of ministry in Sathiya Murthy Nagar in Chennai stands as a solid testimony to his missionary zeal and love for the poorest of the poor. Always well-focused on evangelization and catechesis, he always wanted that people understand the essentials of faith and live by convictions. In his death the Salesian Province of Chennai has lost a great missionary and a lover of the poor. May his soul rest in peace.