He holds Licentiate in Latin Catholic canon law from Pontifical Lateran University, Rome from 1989 to 1990; Licentiate in Eastern Catholic canon law from Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome from 1990 to 1991 and a Doctorate in Eastern Catholic canon law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, with research work on "Particular Law of a sui iuris Church: a Blueprint for the Syro-Malabar Church" from 1992 to 1994.

[3] Bharanikulangara was ordained priest on 18 December 1983 by Mar Sebastian Mankuzhikkary.

He was appointed Archbishop (Personal Title) of Faridabad (Syro-Malabar), India on 6 March 2012 and installed on 27 May 2012.

In the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church held in Rome in 1992 he served as a local contact person and facilitator.

He has served as a Vatican Diplomat in Thailand on probation, Cameroon and Guinea Equatorial as Second Secretary, in Iraq and Jordan as First Secretary, in Venezuela and Republic of Congo and Gabon as Second Counsellor, Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York as First Counsellor, desk officer for the so-called Second Committee of the United Nations, dealing with development, climate change, sustainability, poverty eradication, etc.