T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI Ayyagaru | |
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Bishop -in - CSI-Krishna-Godavari Diocese | |
Church | Church of South India (A Uniting church comprising Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational, Calvinist, Presbyterian and Anglican missionary societies – ABCFM, Dutch Reformed Church, SPG, WMMS, LMS, Basel Mission, CMS, and the Church of England) |
Diocese | CSI-Krishna-Godavari Diocese |
See | CSI-St. Paul's Centenary Church, Vijayawada (since 2001, the Cathedra of the Bishop has been shifted to St. Andrew's Cathedral, Machilipatnam) |
Elected | 1981 |
In office | 1981–2001 |
Predecessor | N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel, CSI |
Successor | G. Dyvasirvadam, CSI |
Previous post(s) | Auxiliary Secretary, Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary, Bible House, Secunderabad (relocated in Guntur in 2016)[1](1976-1981) |
Orders | |
Ordination | by Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society |
Consecration | 18 November 1981[2] by Moderator Solomon Doraiswamy, CSI (Principal Consecrator) and Deputy Moderator I. Jesudason, CSI (Co-consecrator) |
Rank | Bishop |
Personal details | |
Born | December 17, 1939[5] |
Died | May 30, 2018[5] Hyderabad, Telangana, India | (aged 78)
Buried | CSI-Garrison Wesley Church Cemetery No. 12, Karkhana[6] |
Nationality | Indian |
Denomination | Christianity |
Parents | The Rev. T. Joseph,[7] AELC |
Occupation | Anglican priest |
Education | |
Alma mater |
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Bishop T. B. D. Prakasa Rao[8][9] (born 17 December 1939; died 30 May 2018)[5] was the fourth[2] CSI-Bishop[10] - in - Krishna-Godavari of the Protestant Church of South India who occupied the Cathedra placed at CSI-St. Paul's Cathedral,[11] Vijayawada. The Bishopric of Prakasa Rao lasted for two decades from 1981 through 2001, one of the longest[12] in the history of the Church of South India Society. Prakasa Rao led the bishopric of Krishna-Godavari that comprised the Christian missions established by the London Missionary Society[13] (LMS)[14] and the Church Missionary Society (CMS)[15] which merged its South India[16] Christian missions in India into the Church of South India Society which was inaugurated in 1947 at the CSI-St. George's Cathedral, Madras.
Prakasa Rao earlier led the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary from 1976 through 1981 especially during the period when common language[17] translations into vernacular languages were being undertaken by the Bible Society of India throughout the country from the original sources comprising the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Novum Testamentum Graece under the direction of The Rev. C. Arangaden through its translation team comprising Old Testament Scholars well-versed in Biblical Aramaic and Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Scholars with expertise in Biblical Greek comprising M. P. John, John Philipose, G. Babu Rao,[18] Basil Rebera, and Nitoy Achümi. During Rao's stint with the Auxiliary, common language translation of the scriptures into modern Telugu language were already being undertaken by G. Babu Rao[19] together with his graduate companion[20] S. Israel.[19]
On Wednesday, May 30, 2018,[5] Prakasa Rao died while at his quarter in Bandlaguda Jagir and his funeral mass was held on Friday, June 1, 2018[6] led by the present Bishop - in - Krishna Godavari, The Right Reverend T. George Cornelious[21] and other clergy hailing from both the Diocese of Medak and the Diocese of Krishna Godavari at the CSI-Garrison Wesley Church Cemetery at Karkhana, Secunderabad.[5] Later, the same evening, a well-attended Memorial Thanksgiving[6] was held at his erstwhile quarter at Bandlaguda Jagir led by The Rev. U. Daniel,[22] CSI, Ministerial Secretary of the Medak Diocese, where the Church Historian B. C. Paul,[23] AELC and others reminisced about their association with and the contribution of Prakasa Rao to the ministries of the Church.