View source for Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary

{{Short description|Religious organisation in India}}
{{About|the present Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary|the one in Telangana|Bible Society of India Telangana Auxiliary}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox organization
| name =             Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary
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| formation =1951
| founder =
| founding_location =[[Secunderabad]]
| extinction =      
| merger =          
| type =[[Bible Society]]
| status =[[Charitable trust]]
| purpose =Literary
| professional_title =
| headquarters = [[Bangalore]]
| location = [[Guntur]]<ref name="Guntur"/>
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| region =[[Andhra Pradesh]]
| services = Raising contribution, translating, printing, distribution
| membership =
| membership_year =
| language =[[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| leader_title =Auxiliary Secretary
| leader_name = [[The Reverend|The Rev.]] K. John Vikram,<ref name="BSI APP">BSI ''Appointments''.[https://dev.ubs.bible/bsind.org/appointments/]</ref> [[Church of South India|CSI]],<ref name="Synod">CSI Synod, ''Ministerial roll of Diocese of Krishna Godavari''.[https://www.csisynod.com/Admin/ministerial/48_Ministerial%20Roll%20-%20Krishna%20Godavari%20Diocese.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204014515/https://csisynod.com/Admin/ministerial/48_Ministerial%20Roll%20-%20Krishna%20Godavari%20Diocese.pdf |date=4 February 2019 }}</ref> [[Master of Theology|M. Th.]] ([[Yonsei University|Yonsei]])<ref name="YU">''[[Yonsei University]] brochure''.[https://git.yonsei.ac.kr/git/news/brochure.do?mode=download&articleNo=47885&attachNo=34703]</ref>
| leader_title2 =President 
| leader_name2 =Medidi Johnson<ref>[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/apenvconnect/KPKaTSjRPog Google groups]</ref> 
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| key_people = The Rev. [[M. Mani Chacko]], CSI, PhD ([[University of London|London]]), General Secretary of the BSI, Bangalore
| main_organ =India Bible Society Trust Association
| parent_organization =[[Bible Society of India]]
| subsidiaries = 1 ([[Visakhapatnam]])
| secessions = 
| affiliations = [[United Bible Societies]]
| budget=Rs. 1.10,00,000.00<ref name="Volume 31">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bsind.org/pdf/magazine-Jan-apr2015.pdf |title=Sowing Circle, Volume 31, Number 1, January–April 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126095436/http://www.bsind.org/pdf/magazine-Jan-apr2015.pdf |archive-date=26 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| budget_year =2014<ref name="Volume 31"/>
| staff =
| staff_year =       
| volunteers =       
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| website =http://www.bsind.org/andhra_pradesh.html
| remarks = 
| formerly =   Book Depot of the Tamil Nadu Auxiliary
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}}
The [[Bible Society of India]] Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary<ref name="Prema">''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.</ref> is located in [[Guntur]].<ref name="Guntur">''BSI auxiliary office opened in Guntur'' in The Hindu, Guntur, 3 February 2016.  [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/bsi-auxiliary-office-opened-in-guntur/article8185760.ece]</ref>

From 1951 through 2016, the Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary was housed at the Bible House on Rashtrapathi Road in [[Secunderabad]] until it was moved to [[Guntur]].<ref>"Guntur"</ref> This Auxiliary assists the Translations Department of the BSI to translate the Scriptures into the languages spoken in the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]] that include not only [[Telugu language]], but also [[Urdu language]], [[Lambadi language]] and other minority linguistic groups.

==Telugu version==
{{main|Bible translations by language}}
In the Annual report of the British & Foreign Bible Society<ref>''Annual report of the British & Foreign Bible Society'', British and Foreign Bible Society, Printed for the Society by J. Tilling, 1867.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=fYQsAAAAYAAJ]</ref> John Hay had undertaken the revision of the Telugu Bible (of [[Lyman Jewett]]?).  In the same report, mention was made of the [[Secunderabad]] Branch.<ref>Howard Benjamin Grose, ''Missions: an international Baptist magazine'', Volume 9, 1918.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=mZnNAAAAMAAJ]</ref>

In 1953, the Telugu Bible was revised from earlier version which had been translated by John Hay, Edward Pritchett,<ref>Arrived in India, 17 November 1811</ref> John Smith Wardlaw (1813–), James William Gordon, John Redmond Bacon and Dhanavada Anantam.<ref>John Hay, Edward Pritchett, John Smith Wardlaw, John Redmond Bacon, Dhanavada Anantam, ''The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: translated into the Telugu language (with references)'', under the auspices of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Bible Society of India, Pakistan and Ceylon, Secunderabad Auxiliary, 1953.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=XC9AOQAACAAJ&q=telugu+bible+bible+society+of+india]</ref>

[[The Reverend|The Rev.]] [[A. B. Masilamani]] who majored in [[Greek language|Greek]]<ref name="Babu">G. Babu Rao, in Souvenir of Birth Centenary Greetings of The Rev. [[A. B. Masilamani]], New Life Associates, Hyderabad, 2014, p.19</ref> at [[Serampore College]] was Auxiliary Secretary as well part of the Translation Team providing stylistic corrections in [[Telugu language|Telugu]].  Modern translations of the Telugu Bible in common language were taken up by The Rev. [[Victor Premasagar]] and The Rev. G. Babu Rao,<ref name="Wilson">[[H. S. Wilson]] (Edited), ''The Church on the Move, Essays in honour of [[Victor Premasagar]]'', Christian Literature Society, Madras, 1988, p.vi. [https://books.google.com/books?id=S-wrAAAAMAAJ&q=babu+rao]</ref> both of whom were Scholars of Biblical [[Hebrew]] and Biblical [[Greek language|Greek]] as well as colleagues at the [[Protestant]] Regional Theologiate in [[Secunderabad]].

During the Auxiliary Secretaryship of The Rev. [[B. G. Prasada Rao]], a team consisting of The Rev. Suppogu Israel and The Rev. G. Babu Rao began translating portions of the Bible into modern Telugu which included,
*Portions translated into modern Telugu
** Book of Ruth, 1976<ref>Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (Translated), ''Book of [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]]'', The [[Bible Society of India]], Bangalore, 1976.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=U_WVZwEACAAJ&q=g.babu+rao+bible+society]</ref>
** Man You Cannot Ignore, 1976<ref>Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (Translated), ''Man You Cannot Ignore'', The [[Bible Society of India]], Bangalore, 1976.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=_rObXwAACAAJ&q=g.babu+rao+bible+society]</ref>

[[Old Testament]] Scholar, The Rev. [[Graham S. Ogden]], Asia-Pacific Regional Translations Coordinator of the [[United Bible Societies]] used to liaise with the Auxiliary during the Secretaryship of The Rev. [[L. Prakasam]], providing scholarly inputs and also reviewing the progress of the Telugu-Old Testament Common Language Project Coordinator, The Rev. G. Babu Rao in the presence of the [[Old Testament]] Scholar, The Rev. [[G. D. V. Prasad]], then Director – Translations of the [[Bible Society of India]].

A Living Bible in Telugu was also proposed as early as 1980.<ref>[[Roger E. Hedlund]], ''World Christianity: South Asia'', Volume 3 of World Christianity, Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center, Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center, 1980.  p.60.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=RfMpKxKHjwsC]</ref>

==Lambadi version==
The Auxiliary released the ''New Testament in [[Lambadi language]]'' on 25 October 1999<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=CRQLGQAACAAJ ''New Testament in Lambadi'', Bible Society of India, Bengaluru, 1999]</ref> in the presence<ref name="Sowing1">''[[Sowing Circle]], A Bulletin of the Bible Society of India'', Volume 15, Number 1, January–April 2000 (For Private Circulation), Bengaluru.  pp.24–25.</ref> of then Auxiliary Secretary, The Rev. G. Babu Rao, then Director – Translations of the [[Bible Society of India]], Central Office, [[Bengaluru]], The Rev. [[G. D. V. Prasad]] and then General Secretary, B. K. Pramanik at the [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches|STBC]]-[[Centenary Baptist Church]], [[Secunderabad]] under the shepherdship of Pastor N. Thomas.  Speaking at the release, Pastor Lazarus Lalsingh<ref>Tony E. Samuel Hilton, Lazarus Lalsingh, ''Banjara: a people in India'', People series, People India Research & Training Institute, 1999.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=uOqqGwAACAAJ]</ref> of ''Badao Banjara Phojer''<ref name="Sowing1"/> who put in efforts for bringing the New Testament in Lambadi recalled the earlier efforts of The Rev. [[B. E. Devaraj]] in translating texts into Lambadi at the release in 1999.<ref name="Sowing1"/>

==Auxiliary Secretaries==
The first Auxiliary Secretary was appointed in the 1950s beginning with The Rev. [[E. Prakasam]], [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church|AELC]] who served till the 1960s, followed by The Rev. [[A. B. Masilamani]], [[CBCNC]], both of whom were [[hymn writer]]s.  During the 1970s, The Rev. [[B. G. Prasada Rao]], [[Church of South India|CSI]] who was one of the first postgraduates in theology at the [[United Theological College, Bangalore]] led the Auxiliary till the 1980s and was followed by The Rev. [[T. B. D. Prakasa Rao]], CSI who had an [[Interdiscipline|inter-disciplinary]] academic record at three different universities, who was succeeded in the 1990s by The Rev. [[L. Prakasam]], CBCNC who had substantial ministerial track.

When the 21st century began, [[Old Testament]] Scholar, The Rev. G. Babu Rao was already at the helm since the concluding years' of 1990s and had also led the [[Telugu language]] [[Old Testament]] common language translations<ref name="Wilson"/> of the [[Bible Society of India]] since the 1970s, and was succeeded as Auxiliary Secretary by The Rev. N. L. Victor of the [[Salvation Army]] in the 2000s.  In the beginning of 2010s, The Rev. B. S. Rajashekar, [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches|STBC]] took over as Auxiliary Secretary and was followed by and The Rev. K. John Vikram, CSI, who was installed in 2020s.<ref name="BSI APP"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="border: 5px solid #BBB; margin: .96em 0 0 .9em;"
|- style="font-size: 86%;"
|'''Tenure''' || '''Auxiliary Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary'''<br>{From [[Andhra Pradesh (1956–2014)|AP (1956–2014)]] to present-day [[Andhra Pradesh|AP]]}|| '''Earned Academic Credentials'''
|-
|1953–1963||The Rev. [[E. Prakasam]], [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church|AELC]]<ref name="Prema"/><ref name="books.google.co.in">Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 147, 1963, American Bible Society, p.140.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=MyPPAAAAMAAJ&q=masilamani]</ref>||[[Licentiate in Theology|L. Th.]] ([[Senate of Serampore College (University)|Serampore]])
|-
|1963–1969||The Rev. [[A. B. Masilamani]], [[CBCNC]]<ref name="Prema"/><ref name="books.google.co.in"/>||L. Th. (Serampore), [[Bachelor of Divinity|B. D.]] (Serampore), [[Master of Arts|M. A.]] ([[University of Calcutta|Calcutta]]), [[Master of Theology|Th. M.]] ([[University of Toronto|Toronto]]), PhD ([[Osmania University|Osmania]])
|-
|1969–1976||The Rev. [[B. G. Prasada Rao]], [[Church of South India|CSI]]<ref name="Prema"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=FMfeAAAAMAAJ&q=prasada Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 160, 1975, p.105]</ref>||B. D. (Serampore), [[Master of Theology|M. Th.]] (Serampore)
|-
|1976–1981||The Rev. [[T. B. D. Prakasa Rao]], CSI<ref name="Prema"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-iZXAAAAYAAJ&q=rao Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 165, 1980, p.90]</ref>||[[Bachelor of Arts|B. A.]] ([[Andhra University|Andhra]]), B. D. (Serampore), M. A. (Osmania), [[Bachelor of Education|BEd]] (Andhra)
|-
|1981–1998||The Rev. [[L. Prakasam]], CBCNC<ref name="Prema"/><ref>[http://www.cbchurchvizag.com/our%20message.aspx Pastors who served Calvary Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam]</ref>||L. Th. (Serampore)
|-
|1998–2001||The Rev. G. Babu Rao, CBCNC<ref name="Prema"/>||[[Bachelor of Science|BSc]] (Andhra),''<sup>[[Double majors in the United States|Double majors in Mathematics]]</sup>'' B. D. (Serampore), M. Th. (Serampore)
|-
|2001–2012||The Rev. N. L. Victor, [[The Salvation Army|SA]]<ref name="Prema"/><ref name="BSI">[[Sowing Circle]], Volume 28, 2, May–August 2012, pp.46–47</ref>||B. A. 
|-
|2012–2020||The Rev. B. S. Rajashekar, [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches|STBC]]<ref name="Sowing">[[Sowing Circle]] : A publication of the Bible Society of India, Volume 28, Number 2, (May – August 2012), pp.24, 25, 46, 47.  [http://www.bsind.org/pdf/jan2013.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208071110/http://www.bsind.org/pdf/jan2013.pdf |date=8 December 2015 }}</ref><ref name="Prema"/><ref name="BSI"/>||[[Bachelor of Commerce|B. Com.]] ([[Acharya Nagarjuna University|Nagarjuna]]), B. D. (Serampore), M. Th. (Serampore)''<sup>Double Masters</sup>''
|-
|2020–''present''||The Rev. K. John Vikram,<ref name="BSI APP"/> CSI<ref name="Synod"/>||BSc (Andhra), [[Master of Science|MSc]] (Andhra), B. D. (Serampore), M. Th.<ref>Senate of Serampore College (University), ''list of those qualifying for M. Th. result'', 2015.[https://files.indcareer.com/downloadPdfs/2015/09/-wp-wp-content-uploads-2014-04-MTH-QUAL-50-pdf.pdf?q=downloadPdfs/2015/09/-wp-wp-content-uploads-2014-04-MTH-QUAL-50-pdf.pdf]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> ([[Yonsei University|Yonsei]])<ref name="YU"/>
|}

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Further reading
* {{cite book
 | author=I. C. Ashok Kumar
 | title=Prema Sakshi
 | date=August 2008
 | volume=6
 | issue=4
 | url =
}}
* {{cite book
 | title=The Encyclopaedia of Missions
 | year=1891
 | volume=
 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=HOa3JiTnPS0C
| last1=Bliss
 | first1=Edwin Munsell
 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bible Society Of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary}}
[[Category:Bible societies]]
[[Category:Christianity in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1951]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1951]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1951]]