Victor Premasagar
Encyclopedia
Victor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament
scholar. He also became Moderator
of the Church of South India
.
and was raised a Christian
in what is now the Church of South India
. In addition to the ancient Indian epics, his boyhood was filled with stories from the Bible
. In the foreword to Promise in the Ancestral Narratives, his doctoral dissertation, Premasagar made mention of the Biblical stories that his mother told during his childhood and the promise they held. He completed his schooling from Wesley School in Secunderabad
. It was around this time that he to study divinity
.
He completed his college studies from the century-old Andhra-Christian College
(under Andhra University
), Guntur
. His contemporaries there included Sri N.T. Rama Rao (a film actor and later Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
) among others. Premasagar was involved in athletics. Football and tennis being his favourite sport.[7]
and took his Bachelor of Divinity
. While at UTC, Bangalore, his classmates included Rev. Dr. E.C. John (another Old Testament
scholar and later the Principal of the United Theological College), Rev. Dr. Sam Amirtham (a renowned figure in the World Council of Churches
), Rev. N.D. Ananda Rao Samuel (Bishop-in-Krishna Godavari and Moderator of the Church of South India
in the 1970s), Rev. Dr. C.D. Jathanna (another Old Testament
scholar who later was the Principal of Karnataka Theological College
as well as Bishop-in-Karnataka Central of the Church of South India) among others.
.
After returning from Cambridge
, he undertook teaching the Old Testament in the Andhra Christian Theological College (ACTC) in the river town of Rajahmundry
.
for further studies of the Old Testament. He studied in St Mary's College
and was awarded a Ph.D.
. Afterwards, he returned to ACTC to continue his teaching and later became its first Indian Principal.
Together with his wife Mrs. Daisy, they saw to the needs of the students, the staff, and to the faculty. Mrs. Daisy's nursing skills gained in England
were put to use. On invitation from Wartburg Theological Seminary
, Dubuque, Iowa
, in the United States of America, he took sabbatical from ACTC to teach there for a year. On his return, the Board of Governors was pleased to extend the term of Principalship by two more terms. Rev. Dr. K. David, a New Testament
scholar succeeded Dr. Premasagar at ACTC.
. Later, he was elected as the Bishop-in-Medak, Asia
's largest Anglican bishopric. It was at this time that indigenous methods were devised and put into practice for raising funds from the local congregations for supporting Church programmes which was met with widespread success.
, Tamil Nadu
, he was elected as the Moderator of the Church of South India
. He was instrumental in bringing rapid development of the Church - congregation-wise as well as in its social action.
As for the educational institutions in the diocese of Medak, schools were made to adapt to modern trends in order to face the changing pattern. St. George's Grammar School, Wesley College and other educational institutions were modernized during Premasagar's tenure.
In the year 1983, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
came to Hyderabad. On 20 November 1983, the Queen celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary in the Holy Trinity Church in Bolarum, Secunderabad
. The Church service was officiated by Bishop Premasagar and his ministerial colleagues Rev. B. Prabhakar Rao and Rev. B. P. Sugandhar
, the present Bishop-in-Medak and the Moderator of the CSI.
, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury
in London
. Rev. Premasagar attended the eleventh and twelfth conferences in 1978 and 1988 respectively.
(BSI) in its Telugu Bible Common Language Translation Programme since the 1970s. He headed the Translations Committee of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary till the 1990s and then was followed by Rev. G. Babu Rao, his colleague while at ACTC. Premasagar was also the President of the Bible Society of India headquartered in Bangalore
for a long period.
, Presbyter-in-charge of Church of St John the Baptist, Secunderabad became the Bishop-in-Medak.
Post-retirement, Premasagar spent about a year at the Presbyterian Church of Wales
as an invitee On his return to India, Premasagar taught part-time at ACTC. He was later invited by Dr. K. Rajaratnam, Director of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
, Chennai
to teach and guide doctoral students and was Professor Emeritus of Old Testament.
In 2000, Premasagar accepted an to become Principal of Bethel Bible College
, Guntur, where he taught until his death at St. Joseph's Hospital, Guntur on 1 December 2005.
Some essays were written in his honour (festschrift
) commemorating his shastipoorthi (completion of sixty years) and brought into a book entitled:
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scholar. He also became Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
.
Early years
Premasagar was born in MedakMedak
Medak , is a municipality in Medak District in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 100 km to the north of Hyderabad.-Geography:Medak is located at . It has an average elevation of 442 metres .-Demographics:...
and was raised a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
in what is now the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
. In addition to the ancient Indian epics, his boyhood was filled with stories from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. In the foreword to Promise in the Ancestral Narratives, his doctoral dissertation, Premasagar made mention of the Biblical stories that his mother told during his childhood and the promise they held. He completed his schooling from Wesley School in Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. It was around this time that he to study divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
.
He completed his college studies from the century-old Andhra-Christian College
Andhra-Christian College
Andhra-Christian College, popularly known as AC College, is one of the oldest colleges in India. AC College is part of the educational enterprise of the Protestant churches...
(under Andhra University
Andhra University
Andhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
), Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
. His contemporaries there included Sri N.T. Rama Rao (a film actor and later Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
) among others. Premasagar was involved in athletics. Football and tennis being his favourite sport.[7]
Seminary Studies
Victor went to the United Theological College in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and took his Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
. While at UTC, Bangalore, his classmates included Rev. Dr. E.C. John (another Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scholar and later the Principal of the United Theological College), Rev. Dr. Sam Amirtham (a renowned figure in the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
), Rev. N.D. Ananda Rao Samuel (Bishop-in-Krishna Godavari and Moderator of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
in the 1970s), Rev. Dr. C.D. Jathanna (another Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scholar who later was the Principal of Karnataka Theological College
Karnataka Theological College
Karnataka Theological College is an ecumenical seminary catering to the Kannada-speaking students wishing to pursue the priestly vocation. KTC is located in Mangalore of Karnataka in South India, and is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College .The Karnataka Theological College was...
as well as Bishop-in-Karnataka Central of the Church of South India) among others.
Presbytership
After graduation, the Church of South India first posted him to a rural congregation.Post-graduate studies & Lecturership
In due course of time, he was sent to Cambridge University where he continued to study the Old Testament and was awarded the Cambridge triposTripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
.
After returning from Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, he undertook teaching the Old Testament in the Andhra Christian Theological College (ACTC) in the river town of Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
.
Doctoral studies & return
Later, the Board of Governors of ACTC accorded him study leave which Rev. Premasagar utilized to go to St. Andrews University, ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for further studies of the Old Testament. He studied in St Mary's College
St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College of the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland - in full, the New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - was founded in 1538 by Archbishop James Beaton, uncle of Cardinal David Beaton on the site of the pedagogy or St Johns College .St Mary's College was...
and was awarded a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
. Afterwards, he returned to ACTC to continue his teaching and later became its first Indian Principal.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
were put to use. On invitation from Wartburg Theological Seminary
Wartburg Theological Seminary
Wartburg Theological Seminary is a Lutheran seminary located in Dubuque, Iowa. It offers three graduate-level degrees , a TEEM Certificate, and a Diploma in Anglican Studies, all of which are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission of the...
, Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, in the United States of America, he took sabbatical from ACTC to teach there for a year. On his return, the Board of Governors was pleased to extend the term of Principalship by two more terms. Rev. Dr. K. David, a New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholar succeeded Dr. Premasagar at ACTC.
Bishopric
While continuing to serve at ACTC, he was elected as the General Secretary of the Synod of the CSI based in ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. Later, he was elected as the Bishop-in-Medak, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
's largest Anglican bishopric. It was at this time that indigenous methods were devised and put into practice for raising funds from the local congregations for supporting Church programmes which was met with widespread success.
Moderatorship
During the 21st synod (January 13–18) 1988 of the CSI held in American College, MaduraiMadurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, he was elected as the Moderator of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
. He was instrumental in bringing rapid development of the Church - congregation-wise as well as in its social action.
As for the educational institutions in the diocese of Medak, schools were made to adapt to modern trends in order to face the changing pattern. St. George's Grammar School, Wesley College and other educational institutions were modernized during Premasagar's tenure.
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
came to Hyderabad. On 20 November 1983, the Queen celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary in the Holy Trinity Church in Bolarum, Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. The Church service was officiated by Bishop Premasagar and his ministerial colleagues Rev. B. Prabhakar Rao and Rev. B. P. Sugandhar
B. P. Sugandhar
Badda Peter Sugandhar was the fifth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak in the Church of South India . He was consecrated by Vasant P...
, the present Bishop-in-Medak and the Moderator of the CSI.
Lambeth Conference
The Bishops of the Church of South India are invited to the decennial Lambeth Conference held at the Lambeth PalaceLambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Rev. Premasagar attended the eleventh and twelfth conferences in 1978 and 1988 respectively.
Bible Society of India
Premasagar was a translator for the Bible Society of IndiaBible Society of India
The Bible Society of India is a Christian body that is authorized to translate, produce, distribute and market the Holy Bible. The Central Office of the BSI is located in Bangalore city in the state of Karnataka in South India.-Auxiliaries:...
(BSI) in its Telugu Bible Common Language Translation Programme since the 1970s. He headed the Translations Committee of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary till the 1990s and then was followed by Rev. G. Babu Rao, his colleague while at ACTC. Premasagar was also the President of the Bible Society of India headquartered in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
for a long period.
Retirement
After retirement from the bishopric, Rev. Ryder Devapriyam, Bishop-in-Nandyal and a former colleague of Rev. Premasagar while at ACTC, succeeded him as the Moderator while Rev. B. P. SugandharB. P. Sugandhar
Badda Peter Sugandhar was the fifth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak in the Church of South India . He was consecrated by Vasant P...
, Presbyter-in-charge of Church of St John the Baptist, Secunderabad became the Bishop-in-Medak.
Post-retirement, Premasagar spent about a year at the Presbyterian Church of Wales
Presbyterian Church of Wales
The Presbyterian Church of Wales , also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church , is a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival and the preaching of Hywel Harris Howell Harris in the 18th century and seceded from the Church of England in 1811...
as an invitee On his return to India, Premasagar taught part-time at ACTC. He was later invited by Dr. K. Rajaratnam, Director of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute is an ecumenical seminary situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College .-Background:...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to teach and guide doctoral students and was Professor Emeritus of Old Testament.
In 2000, Premasagar accepted an to become Principal of Bethel Bible College
Bethel Bible College
Bethel Bible College or Bethel Gospel School was a Bible college founded in 1900 by Charles Parham at Topeka, Kansas. The school is credited with starting the Pentecostal movement due to a series of fasting days that ended in what was interpreted as speaking in tongues on January 1, 1901...
, Guntur, where he taught until his death at St. Joseph's Hospital, Guntur on 1 December 2005.
Works and legacy
He wrote several articles in scholarly journals and in other popular Church magazines. He also wrote:- He emptied Himself - Bible Studies on Jesus Christ Frees and Unites, The Christian Literature Society, Chennai, 1976
- Promise in the Ancestral Narratives: A theme of the early Hebrew traditions, The Christian Literature Society, Chennai, 2000
- Interpretive Diary of a Bishop - Indian Experience in Translation and Interpretation of some Biblical passages, The Christian Literature Society, Chennai, 2002
Some essays were written in his honour (festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
) commemorating his shastipoorthi (completion of sixty years) and brought into a book entitled:
- The Church on the move - Edited by H.S. Wilson, The Christian Literature Society, Chennai, 2002
See also
- Telugu ChristianTelugu ChristianTelugu Christians or Telugu Kraistava are an ethno-religious community who form the second largest religious minority in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh...
- Biblia Hebraica StuttgartensiaBiblia Hebraica StuttgartensiaThe Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, or ', is an edition of the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible as preserved in the Leningrad Codex, and supplemented by masoretic and text-critical notes...
, Latin Vulgate - Biblical CriticismBiblical criticismBiblical criticism is the scholarly "study and investigation of Biblical writings that seeks to make discerning judgments about these writings." It asks when and where a particular text originated; how, why, by whom, for whom, and in what circumstances it was produced; what influences were at work...
, Form CriticismForm criticismForm criticism is a method of biblical criticism that classifies units of scripture by literary pattern and that attempts to trace each type to its period of oral transmission. Form criticism seeks to determine a unit's original form and the historical context of the literary tradition. Hermann... - Rev. Dr. Gerhard von RadGerhard von RadGerhard von Rad was a German Lutheran pastor, University professor and an Old Testament scholar.With the experience of two World Wars, the German-speaking world began to turn "anti-Old Testament"...
, Rev. Dr. Claus WestermannClaus WestermannRev. Dr. Claus Westermann was an Old Testament scholar. He was born on October 7, 1909 in Berlin. Prof. Westermann taught at the University of Heidelberg from 1958 to 1978.Born to African missionaries, he finished his studies in 1933 he became a pastor...
, Dr. Klaus KochKlaus Koch- External links :*... - Rev. Dr. K. David
- St. George's Grammar School (Hyderabad)