Ananda Rao Samuel

Bishop N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel, CSI Bishop - in - Krishna-Godavari (1961-1978)<br>Deputy Moderator of CSI Synod (1972-1974)<br>Moderator of CSI Synod (1974-1980)
The Most Reverend
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	Diocese of Krishna-Godavari of the Church of South India
Appointed	-->
In office	1961–1978
Quashed	<!-- or
Retired	-->
Predecessor	A. B. Elliott, CSI
Successor	T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI
Other post(s)	<!---------- Orders ---------->
Orders
Ordination	14 June 1953 by Yeddu Muthyalu, CSI
Consecration	12 December 1961 by Hospet Sumitra, CSI
Rank	Bishop
Laicized	<!---------- Personal details ---------->
Personal details
Birth name	N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel
Born	(1928-12-29)29 December 1928 Machilipatnam, Madras Presidency
Died	30 May 1999(1999-05-30) (aged 70) Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka
Buried	<!-- or
Nationality	<!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT -->
Denomination	Christianity
Parents	<!-- Names of parents; include only if they are independently notable or particularly relevant. -->
Partner	-->
Previous post(s)	Parish Priest, Krishna-Godavari Diocese of the Church of South India
Education	B.A. (Andhra) M.A. (Andhra) B.D. (Serampore) S.T.M. (UTS)
Alma mater	Noble College, Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) United Theological College, Bangalore (Karnataka) Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York (United States)
Sainthood
Cult suppressed	<!---------- Other ---------->

N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel (1928–1999) was Bishop of Krishna Godavari of the Church of South India.

Early years

Ananda Rao Samuel was born on 29 December 1928<ref name="Union">Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.) The Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York New York : Alumni Office, 1970. Electronic reproduction. New York, N.Y. : Columbia University Libraries, 2007. JPEG use copy available via the World Wide Web. Master copy stored locally on [6] DVDs#: ldpd_6122000_000 01,02,03,04,05,06. Columbia University Libraries Electronic Books. 2006. p.409. [1]</ref> in the port town of Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh into a Dalit Anglican family and studied at the local Noble College during 1944 to 1949 earning the degrees of BA and MA.<ref name="Union"/> His parents were Namala Jemima and Namala Thomas Gnanaprakasam.<ref name="Dynamic">M. Abel, Dynamic Spirituality (A commemorative volume in honour of N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel), Pravaham, Kavanoor, 2001."Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2006. Retrieved 2009-01-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)</ref>

Theological life

The Church Missionary Society (CMS) brought about the Gospel in Machilipatnam. With the formation of the Church of South India (CSI) in 1947, the CMS got merged into the CSI. From 1950,<ref name="Union"/> Ananda Rao pursued a graduate degree in divinity (BD) at the United Theological College, Bengaluru as a candidate of the Church of South India, Diocese of Krishna-Godavari.

Soon after returning from Bengaluru in 1953, he was ordained on 14 June 1953<ref name="Union"/> and made a Presbyter in Machilipatnam during the Bishopric of Yeddy Muthyalu.<ref>Mar Aprem, Indian Christian who is who, Bombay Parish Church of the East, Bombay, 1983. Entry no. 224, p.99. [2]</ref>

Later in 1959<ref name="Union"/> he was made Presbyter in Vijayawada during the Bishopric of A. B. Elliott.

In 1955, he was sent to the Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York where he earned an S.T.M.<ref name="Union"/> in Pastoral Counselling.

Professorship

During the academic years 1949–1950<ref name="Union"/> and 1954–1955,<ref name="Union"/> Ananda Rao lectured English Literature at the Andhra-Christian College, Guntur.

After Ananda Rao returned from the Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York in 1956, he began tutoring at the Andhra Union Theological Seminary, Dornakal.<ref name="Union"/>

After his chaplaincy stint at Vellore, Ananda Rao taught Pastoral Counselling at his alma mater, the United Theological College, Bengaluru.<ref name="CCA">CCA News, Volume 34, No. 3, September 1999, Hong Kong, China. p.20 Archived 5 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine</ref>

Contribution

Ananda Rao played a key role in priesthood for women.<ref name="CCA"/> As Bishop and Moderator of the Church of South India, he brought about the topic for discussion and debate at synodical platforms. In 1980,<ref name="CCA"/> the CSI passed a resolution granting ordination for theologically-trained women.

The formation of the Joint Council of the Church of South India, Church of North India and the Mar Thoma is attributed<ref name="CCA"/> to Ananda Rao. In Andhra Pradesh, Lutherans and Baptists could not join the Church of South India due to Lay leadership. However, Ananda Rao had been instrumental in trying to negotiate for their inclusion.<ref name="CCA"/>

Ananda Rao participated in the Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches held from 23 November – 10 December 1975 in Nairobi<ref> David MacDonald Paton, Breaking Barriers, The Official Report of the Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, Nairobi, 23 November-10 December 1975, SPCK, 1976. p. 224. [3]</ref>

In 1993, he founded Pravaham in Vellore District.<ref>Pravaham</ref>

Subsequent to his laying down the office of bishop, Ananda Rao was made Senior Chaplain<ref name="CCA"/> at the Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore. Later after his death in 1999, Sundar Clarke released a book on his writings on 18 January 2001 in Vellore District.<ref>Weekly News, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Volume XXL, No. 29, 15 January 2001. p.2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2006. Retrieved 2009-01-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)</ref>

Bishopric

After the retirement of A. B. Elliott as bishop in Krishna-Godavari, N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel was elected unanimously as his successor in 1961 and consecrated in the Cathedral in Eluru on 12 December 1961.<ref name="R.D.Paul">Rajaiah David Paul, Ecumenism in Action: A Historical Survey of the Church of South India, CLS, Chennai, 1972. p.86. [4]</ref>

He was also elected as the Moderator of the Church of South India at a later stage, succeeding Isaac Richard Harrison Gnanadasan.<ref name="George">K. M. George, Church of South India: life in union, 1947–1997, Jointly published by Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and Christava Sahitya Samithi, Tiruvalla, 1999. [5]</ref>

Honours

India's first University,<ref>Sankar Ray, The William Carey Library in Serampore, Business Line, The Hindu, Friday 11 April 2008. Internet, accessed 17 October 2008. [6]</ref> the Senate of Serampore College (University) in West Bengal conferred upon Ananda Rao Samuel an honorary doctorate in 1989.<ref>Senate of Serampore College (University), List of the Recipients of the degree of doctor of divinity (honoris causa). "Doctor of Divinity from Senate of Serampore College (University)". Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2009.</ref>

Death

After teaching Christian Ministry at the United Theological College, Bengaluru, Ananda Rao began living in Chennai and died on 30 May 1999 in KGF.<ref name="CCA"/>

See also

• B. V. Subbamma
• Emani Sambayya
• Victor Premasagar
• G. Dyvasirvadam

Further reading

• V. Henry Devadas (1993). Christ Inspires Human Struggle for Freedom and Justice. Indian Society. ISBN 978-81-7214-121-9.

Religious titles
Preceded by I. R. H. Gnanadasan, CSI<br />1972	Moderator<br />Church of South India Synod 1972–1980	Succeeded by Solomon Doraiswamy, CSI<br />1980–1982
Preceded by Lesslie Newbigin, CSI<br />1966–1972	Deputy Moderator<br />Church of South India Synod 1972	Succeeded by Lesslie Newbigin, CSI<br />1972-1974
Preceded by A. B. Elliott, CSI<br />1954–1956	Bishop - in - Krishna-Godavari<br />Church of South India 1961–1978	Succeeded by T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI<br />1981–2001