Bishop D. N. Samuel was the fifth Bishop - in - Dornakal Diocese of the Church of South India who occupied the Cathedra in the CSI-Epiphany Cathedral in Dornakal from 1986 until his sudden death on 13 July 1996 resulting in an unexpected sede vacante.
The Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad where Samuel studied is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University), India's first[3] {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956}[4] with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.
Noah Samuel studied at the CSI-Noble College at Machilipatnam taking a Secondary School Leaving Certificate in 1949 and continued his studies by passing the Matriculation Examination offered by the Andhra University and worked as a civilian with the Singareni Collieries Company.
Akin to the early Church Fathers, in this case, Bishop Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Noah Samuel left his civilian work in 1963 and enrolled for spiritual studies.
In 1985 when Bishop G. S. Luke retired on attaining superannuation, the Diocese of Dornakal became sede vacante following which the Church of South India Synod appointed D. N. Samuel as the fifth Bishop - in - Dornakal to succeed Bishop G. S. Luke who was principally consecrated by I. Jesudason, Moderator, Church of South India Synod in the presence of Sundar Clarke, Deputy Moderator, Church of South India Synod[2] and the co-consecrator.