History
The Diocese of Irinjalakuda was established in 1978, with His Excellency Mar James Pazhayattil serving as its first bishop. Recognizing the growing demand for value-based higher technical education, the people of the Diocese took the initiative to form an educational trust. This endeavour was undertaken to commemorate both the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of His Excellency Bishop Mar James Pazhayattil and the Silver Jubilee of the Diocese itself.
On July 23, 2001, the Irinjalakuda Diocesan Educational Trust was officially registered with Reg. No: 138/IV 2001 at the Irinjalakuda registration office. The trust was formed under the leadership of Bishop Mar James Pazhayattil as Chairman, Rev. Msgr. Sebastian Ezhekadan as President, Rev. Fr. Joseph Thekkethala as Secretary, and Rev. Fr. Pius Chirapanath as Finance Officer. The Diocese has since made remarkable contributions to education, establishing numerous schools, teachers’ training colleges, and professional institutions, including nursing, pharmacy, engineering, and management colleges.
A significant milestone in this commitment to higher education was the establishment of the Sahrdaya Institution of Management Studies (SIMS) at Kodakara in 2016. SIMS offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and is dedicated to fostering both professional expertise and character development among its students. The institution reflects the Diocese’s ongoing commitment to providing quality education that aligns with the Catholic Church’s vision of holistic development and meaningful service to society.
Under the current leadership of Bishop Mar Pauly Kannookadan, the Diocese of Irinjalakuda continues to inspire and shape the future through its unwavering dedication to excellence in education and community service.
