The Catholic community in Hyderabad is in deep grief over the passing away of former Archbishop Emeritus Thumma Bala, who breathed his last at the age of 76 due to age-related illnesses. He will be laid to rest on Friday at St. Mary's Basilica in Secunderabad, after a funeral mass held at St. Mary's school ground. With a rich legacy spanning over a decade, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the Archbishop of Hyderabad in 2011 at the age of 66.