Rev. Fr. Adrian Caussannel SJ was born on September 9, 1850, in Mezière, Aveyron, France. He entered the Society of Jesus on December 31, 1875, and was ordained a priest in 1884 in Spain. In 1888, he arrived in Pondicherry, India. He dedicated himself to spreading the Gospel, first serving as the parish priest in Tuticorin. His mission extended across the districts of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, and Madurai. Understanding the local realities, he felt the need to involve the native people in sharing the Gospel of Christ in our land of diversity.

This was the beginning of an enduring vision of finding the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.

Commonly known as the ‘Dragon of South’ he was a person of might and untiring zeal, whose reputation remains proverbial in Southern India, particularly because of the intrepidity manifested on various occasions in defending the rights of the poor and the marginalized.