Canon Victor Durai Samuel was born on December 28, 1923 and had his education in Malacca and Singapore. Following in his father's footsteps, he served as a teacher and then became the headmaster of the Jubilee School, the first private school in Kluang and Johor. In recognition of his service in education and sports, the Sultan of Johor awarded him the Pingat Sultan Ibrahim (PIS).
Samuel was commissioned as an Honorary Lay Reader in 1961 by Bishop Kenneth Sansbury. From this introductory service, he felt the call to the ordained ministry. After special training at Trinity College, he was appointed as the officiating chaplain to the British Forces in Kluang in 1969 by the Bishop of the Armed Forces. His service to the Forces helped him to secure a piece of land in Kluang where a garrison church, St Luke's, was built.
The creation of a new Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia in 1970 paved the way for the founding of St Peter's Parish in Kuala Lumpur in 1971 and Samuel was its first vicar. With his gift of a pastoral heart, he built one of the largest Tamil parishes in the Diocese. It was during his ministry that Bishop Roland Koh obtained funds from the USA for a new church building which became a reality in 2003. During Samuel’s ministry at St Peter's, the evangelistic outreach in Puchong, Sungei Besi and Cheras helped the church to grow and his three Honorary Lay Readers (Dr J. Ponnambalam, Mr Y.J. Alexander and Mr S. Davis) were ordained to the non-stipendiary ministry (NSM).
In 1976, Bishop John Savarimuthu appointed Samuel as chairman of the Board of Tamil and Allied Works where he served for eight years.
Samuel was also one of the founders of the Befrienders which provide counselling and emotional support for mental health to the public irrespective of race, colour or creed. He was sent to Manila to share his multi-ethnic Malaysian experience in counselling. He also served as a member of the Marriage Tribunal established by the Government to provide marriage counselling for broken marriages.
Samuel was called to the Lord on August 13, 1984 at Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya.