L. Prakasam Explained

Lella Prakasam, CBCNC
Birth Place:Andhra Pradesh
Death Date:18 July 1998[1]
Death Place:Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Occupation:Auxiliary Secretary,
Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary
Nationality:Indian
Congregations:Ichchapuram, Sompeta, Tekkali, Visakhapatnam
The Reverend

L. Prakasam was a pastor of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars who served as the auxiliary secretary of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary during the period 1982–1998,[2] the longest in the history of the auxiliary.

Prakasam belonged to the Krishna Association of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars and hailed from Akiveedu.[3]

Ecclesiastical ministry

Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars

The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars posted Prakasam to parishes in the northern coastal area of Andhra Pradesh along the Bay of Bengal in Ichchapuram, Sompeta, Tekkali and Visakhapatnam.[3] Prakasam was Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam in 1980–1981.[1]

Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary

Prakasam first joined the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary during the tenure of the Auxiliary Secretary B. G. Prasada Rao in 1974 as Manager of the Bible House and Reading Room[4] in Waltair. In 1981, when the successive auxiliary secretary, T. B. D. Prakasa Rao was recalled by his church society, the vacant position was filled with the elevation of Prakasam as the auxiliary secretary of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary, who moved over to Secunderabad. During the tenure of Prakasam, revisions of the Bible in the Telugu language were periodically held by the Old Testament scholars Graham Ogden, G. Babu Rao and G. D. V. Prasad and the New Testament scholar Jonadob Nathaniel from the Bible Society of India, Bangalore. Prakasam was also instrumental in the modernisation of the auxiliary, ensuring that the Translations, Distribution, and Resource Mobilisation areas were developed.

After serving nearly 17 years of distinguished work at the auxiliary, Prakasam breathed his last on 18 July 1998[1] in Visakhapatnam. To fill the unexpected void, the Bible Society of India appointed[5] Prakasam's confidant and Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary Old Testament Common Language Translation Coordinator G. Babu Rao, who was a lecturer at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Secunderabad, and well versed with the Bible Society work as translator[6] since 1973[7] [8] from the period of B. G. Prasada Rao.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cbchurchvizag.com/our%20message.aspx The Pastors Who Served Calvary. Calvary Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam
  2. Prema Sakshi, volume 6, issue 4, August 2008. pp. 11–41. Prema Sakshi, a monthly registered (APTEL 07419/01/2002) magazine published by I. C. Ashok Kumar at Neena Publications, Door Number 1-5-4/1/A, First Floor, Behind Sai Raja Deluxe Cinema, Musheerabad, Hyderabad 500 048.
  3. W. Gordon Carder, On the Beginning of the Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission to India, revised version, p. 220. Cited in the Baptist Quarterly, 2008. https://books.google.com/books?id=hLhPAQAAIAAJ
  4. The Journal of the Christian Medical Association of India, volume 38, 1964, p. 79. https://books.google.com/books?id=V7k6AQAAIAAJ&q=bible+house+visakhapatnam
  5. Sowing Circle: The Bulletin of the Bible Society of India, volume 14, number 2, May–August 1999, p. 45.
  6. [H. S. Wilson]
  7. Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (translated), Book of Ruth, Bible Society of India, Bangalore, 1976. https://books.google.com/books?id=U_WVZwEACAAJ&q=g.babu+rao+bible+society
  8. Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (translated), The Man You Cannot Ignore, Bible Society of India, Bangalore, 1976. https://books.google.com/books?id=_rObXwAACAAJ&q=g.babu+rao+bible+society