Bishop of Jamshedpur
Telesphore Bilung, S.V.D., is Bishop of Jamshedpur, India. He was born on 15 April 1961 in Sargidipa, Diocese of Rourkela, Orissa. He attended primary and middle school in Gaibira and then secondary school at New Orissa High School, run by the Divine Word Missionaries. He obtained the pre-degree and graduation at G.M. College in Sambalpur. In 1979 he attended Jyoti Bhavan Minor Seminary in Sambalpur. In 1985 he entered the Society of the Divine Word. He made first vows in 1986 and solemn profession in 1991. From 1986 to 1992 he completed philosophy and theology studies at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeth, Pune. He obtained bachelor's degrees in economics, philosophy, and theology. From 2005 to 2006 he took a counselling course in Great Britain. He was ordained a priest on 2 May 1992 at Gaibira, Diocese of Rourkela. After priestly ordination he held the following offices: 1992-1994, parish assistant in Puri; 1994-1996, rector of the minor seminary of Sambalpur; in 1997, course on formation in India; 1997-2005, rector of the SVD Formation House of Lungai and president of the vocation board; 2005-2006, studies in Great Britain; 2006-2007, parish priest in Premnagar, Archdiocese of Calcutta; 2007-2010, pioneer of the Bezda Mission, Calcutta; 2008-2011, provincial councillor; 2010-2011, rector of the Minor Seminary of the Divine Word Fathers of Lungai; and from 2011, provincial superior of the Divine Word Missionaries.