Ruhalaya is the major seminary of the Missionary Society of St Thomas the Apostle (MST). It is situated on the outskirts of Ujjain, a city of historical and religious significance in Madhya Pradesh, India. Ruhalaya Philosophate was started in 1986, followed by the Theologate in 1997.

Ruhalaya Major Seminary is owned and governed by the Missionary Society of St Thomas the Apostle (MST) which is a Society of Apostolic life of Major Archiepiscopal Right. As a Missionary Society of Apostolic Life in the Syro-Malabar Church, the MST remains faithful to the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage of the Syro-Malabar Church. The seminary derives inspiration for its missionary and priestly formation from the apostolic, ecclesial, missionary and communitarian identity of the MST (Constitutions and Directives of the MST: C1, C 5.1 and C&D 32.6).

Ruhalaya Major Seminary is located at Chak-Kamed on the rapidly developing Ujjain-Agar Road, 7 kilometres away from Ujjain. Ruhalaya College of Philosophy was formally inaugurated on July 3, 1986, after obtaining permission from the Congregation for the Oriental Churches on 28 January 1985 (Decree No. 173/84 dated 28 January 1985). The same dicastery granted its assent to the MST to establish its own Theology Institute on 24 April 1996. Ruhalaya Institute of Theology, 300 metres away from the Ruhalaya College of Philosophy on the other side of the Agar Road, was formally inaugurated on 8 July 1997 and was integrated with Ruhalaya Seminary under a single Rector and administration.

         The name Ruhalaya is the combination of the Syriac word Ruha (Holy Spirit) and the Sanskrit word ālaya (house or abode), meaning “Abode of the Holy Spirit.” This name appropriately reflects the seminary's ecclesial and cultural context. In this “Abode of the Holy Spirit,” the future priests and missionaries are enlightened, equipped and formed for the missionary apostolate.

       Ruhalaya imparts formation to priesthood with special emphasis on the human, spiritual, intellectual and missionary-pastoral elements, firmly rooted in the ecclesial traditions of the Syro-Malabar Church and fully adapted to the missionary context of India. Although Ruhalaya is primarily intended for the priestly formation of future MST missionaries, it is open to the students of all Syro-Malabar eparchies and institutes. In exceptional cases, students of other sui iuris Churches may also be admitted.

In the past 38 years, 1,093 students have completed their studies in philosophy, and over the past 27 years, 361 students have completed their theology studies. At present, Ruhalaya has a total of 16 staff members across both institutes, with 82 resident students and two day-scholars in philosophy, and 81 resident students in theology