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Church in India

Dalit cardinal elected head of Indian bishops’ body

Indian Catholics have hailed the appointment as a historic step

Luke Coppen
Feb 09, 2026
∙ Paid

Cardinal Anthony Poola — India’s first Dalit cardinal — was elected Saturday as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, a body uniting the country’s three main rites.

Cardinal Anthony Poola, pictured in 2022. Credit: Screenshot from @LiturgyTV YouTube channel.

The Feb. 7 appointment highlights the significant role that Dalits — who occ…

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