His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Msgr. Dr. George Panamthundil from the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church as the new Apostolic Nuncio in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on 16 June 2023, elevating him Archbishop of the titular see of Floriana. He is the first priest from the Syro Malankara Catholic Church to become the Nuncio. His Beatitude Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church ordained him Remban in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 19 August 2023 at St. Mary’s Major Archieparchial Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State (Holy See) consecrated him Archbishop on 9 September 2023 at Rome and His Beatitude Baselios Cardinal Cleemis was the co-consecrator. He was born on 20 May 1972 to Dr. P.V. George and Marykutty George in Trivandrum, Kerala. His Beatitude Cyril Baselios Catholicos ordained him a priest on 18th February 1998 for the Archdiocese of Trivandrum. He served the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum from 1998-2000. He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, and completed studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (Rome). He entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 2005 and served the following Pontifical Representations. Second Secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in Costa Rica (2005-2009), First Secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in Guinea and Mali - residing in Conakry( 2009-2012), Second Counsellor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Iraq and Jordan - residing in Baghdad (2012-2016), First Counsellor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Austria(2016-2019), First Counsellor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Israel, Cyprus (2020-2023), and the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem and Palestine.