Bishop Mar Thomas Elavanal was born to Zacharias and Thresia on 28 March 1950 at Mutholy, near Palai, in Kerala.
After a brief period of 3 years appointment at the MCBS Minor Seminary, Kottayam, he travelled to Rome and the US for his Higher Studies.
On his return to India, he was appointed rector of the MCBS Seminary, Alwaye and in 1989, the assistant superior general of the congregation.
He was the visiting professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Alwaye and Paurastya Vidyapitham, Kottayam.
On 8 February 1997, he was consecrated bishop, the shepherd of over one hundred thousand migrants of the Syro-Malabar Catholics spread across the cities of Bombay, Pune and Nashik.