Athikalam was ordained a priest on 22 March 1984, in the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Thomas the Apostle. He worked mainly in monastic seminaries. He was also, among others, general director of the congregation and head of the monastic project of the Nirmal Jyothi Mental Health Program.[1]
On 12 January 2018, following the retirement of his predecessor Anthony Chirayath, Athikalam was appointed bishop of Sagar.[2][3] He was conferred episcopal chirotonium on 17 April by the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Archbishop George Alencherry.
