The Diocese of Khandwa was erected on February 3, 1977 by the Papal Bull “Apostolico Officio” of Pope Paul VI. It comprises of the four civil districts of Khandwa, Bhurhanpur, Barwani and Khargone, also called East and West Nimar districts, separated from Indore diocese. Bp Abraham Viruthakulangara was appointed the First Bishop of Khandwa. In 1998 he was appointed as the Archbishop of Nagpur. Rev.Fr. Jose Abraham Vaipana served as the administrator of the diocese until on September 8, 1999 when Most Rev. Leo Cornelio SVD was consecrated and installed as the new Bishop of Khandwa. In 2007 Bishop Leo Cornelio was appointed a the Archbishop of Bhopal and Rev. Fr. M. Chinnappar governed the diocese as administrator until Most Rev. Alangaram Arokia Sebatin Durairaj SVD was consecrated and installed as the bishop of Khandwa on 16th July 2009. When Bishop Durairaj was appointed archbishop of Bhopal, Fr. Augustine Madathikunnel was elected as the admistrator of the dicoese and he was later appointed as bishop of Khandwa and was consecrated and installed as bishop of Khandwa on 21 March 2024