Bishop Jose Sebastian Thekkumcherikunnel was born on December 24, 1962, in Kalaketty, in the Diocese of Palai. He studied philosophy and theology at Saint Charles Inter-Diocesan Major Seminary in Nagpur.

He was ordained a priest on 1 May 1991 for the clergy of the diocese of Jullundur. After ordination, he served as parish vicar of Saint Mary’s in Fatehgarh Churian, and visiting teacher at Saint John Vianney’s Minor Seminary in Amritsar (1991-1992), parish priest of Saint Joseph’s in Khasa (1992-1993), parish priest of Sacred Heart and deputy director of Saint Francis School in Amritsar (1993-1996), head of Saint Francis School, dean and parish priest of Saint Francis in Amritsar, and member of the diocesan Education Commission, the Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Charismatic Team (1996-2002). He was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (2002-2004), and went on to hold the roles of vice chancellor of the diocese of Jullundur, defender of the bond and director for catechesis (2005-2007), chancellor and judicial vicar of the diocese of Jullundur, lecturer at the Holy Trinity Regional Major Seminary in Jalandhar, member of the diocesan College of Consultors and the Governing Board of the major seminary (2007-2009), head of the Department of Theology at Christ the King Convent School in Kapurthala (2015), chancellor and judicial vicar of the diocese of Jullundur, visiting lecturer at the Holy Trinity Regional Major Seminary in Jalandhar and at the MJ Formation House in Jalandhar Cantt. (2015-2019), director of Saint Pius X Convent School in Lambapind (2017-2023), rector and parish priest of Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Jalandhar Cantt., defender of the bond and promoter of justice (2020-2022). Since 2020 he has served as visiting lecturer at the major seminary and, since 2022, diocesan bursar, parish priest of Saint Joseph’s and director of Saint Joseph’s Convent School in Phagwara.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Fr. Jose Sebastian Thekkumcherikunnel as the new Bishop of Jalandhar in Punjab. The announcement was made on Saturday, 7 June 2025. The Episcopal Ordination and the Installation of the Bishop-elect were held on July 12, 2025, at Trinity College Campus, Jalandhar.