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{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| name = K. Devasahayam, [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church|AELC]]
| title = President
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = Christian
| archdiocese =
| diocese =
| see = [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]] (AELC)
| term = 1965–1969
| predecessor = [[G. Devasahayam]]
| successor = [[S. W. Schmitthenner]]

| ordination =
| ordinated_by =
| consecration = 1965
| consecrated_by =
| rank =

| birth_date = 5 June 1916
| birth_place = [[Pedakakani]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| death_date = 30 January 1992
| death_place = [[Guntur]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| previous_post = Lecturer, [[Andhra Christian Theological College]]
}}
'''K. Devasahayam''' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: దేవసహాయము అయ్యగారు; 5 June 1916 – 30 January 1992) was President of the [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]] from 1965 to 1969.

==Early years==
K. Devasahayam was born in [[Pedakakani]] in [[Guntur District]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]] on 5 June 1916.<ref name="KD">K. Devasahayam, ''The Good News of the Cross'', Sixth Impression, 2007. Printed at Sudha Offset Printers, Rajahmundry. From back cover.</ref>

==Divinity and Priesthood==
The Church Historian, K. L. Richardson mentioned that K. Devasahayam was sent to the [[Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia]] for theological studies between 1956 and 1960.<ref>Clarence Hess Swavely, ''Mission to church in Andhra Pradesh, India: the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1942-1962'', Published by United Lutheran Church in America, Board of Foreign Missions, 1962. p. 43. [https://books.google.com/books?id=2c1ZHQAACAAJ&dq=]. Cited by Kolluri Luther Richardson, ''Towards Self-Reliance : A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927-1969'', Published by Christopher and Kanakaiah, Vijayawada, 2003. pp. 97-98.</ref>

As a Priest of the [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]], Devasahayam served in pastoral roles in [[Rajahmundry]], [[Narasaraopeta]], [[Mangalagiri]], and [[Eluru]] parishes.<ref name="KD" />

==Theological writings==
R. Joseph and B. Suneel Bhanu who compiled a bibliography of original Christian writings in India in Telugu included a book by K. Devasahayam entitled<ref>Ravela Joseph, Suneel Bhanu (Compiled), ''Bibliography of original Christian writings in Telugu'', Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, Bengaluru, 1993. p. 30. [https://books.google.com/books?id=3YPgAAAAMAAJ&dq=]</ref> ''The Good News of the Cross'' first published in 1962.

==Academic==
K. Devasahayam was a member<ref>Indian Church History Review, Volume 6, Published by the Church History Association of India, 1972. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uuDYAAAAMAAJ&q=church+history+association+k.devasahayam&dq=]</ref> of the [[Church History Association of India]], incorporating Church Historians of the Protestant, [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], Catholic and [[Charismatic]] traditions. Devasahayam is acknowledged to have researched<ref>K. Devasahayam, ''The Bible Mission'', Religion and Society, Volume 29, Issue 1, Published by Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, Bangalore. 1982. pp. 55-101. [https://books.google.com/books?id=1-QnAAAAYAAJ&q=]</ref> into the [[new age]] charismatic movements in Christianity in [[Andhra Pradesh]].

===Rajahmundry===
K. Devasahayam began teaching [[Church history|Church History]] at the Lutheran Theological College from 1944 to 1947.<ref>''The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church: A brief history'', Published by the Department of Religious Education of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1951. pp.77 and 115. [https://books.google.com/books?id=YGLZAAAAMAAJ&dq=]</ref> For sometime, Devasahayam was Secretary of [[Andhra Pradesh]] unit of the Student Christian Movement of India. He rejoined the Lutheran Theological College and saw the closure of the College along with century-old Seminaries in [[Kakinada]], [[Dornakal]], and [[Ramayapatnam]]. The [[Andhra Christian Theological College]], a [[special purpose entity]] was formed in 1964 taking in all the faculty and students of the closed-down Seminaries.<ref name="Raja">Ch. Raja Rao, ''Anubhava Sakshyam'' (Telugu), Rajahmundry, 2004, p. 24.</ref>

===Serampore===
In the middle of the academic year 1970–1971, K. Devasahayam was deputed by his Church Society to the historical [[Serampore College]], [[Serampore]], [[West Bengal]] where he taught [[Church history|Church History]] and [[New Testament]].<ref name="Council">The Council of Serampore College, ''The Story of Serampore and its College'', Fourth Edition 2005, Serampore. pp.90-92. [https://books.google.com/books?id=3zLPAAAAMAAJ&q=]</ref> K. Devasahayam was made [[Rector (academia)|Rector]] of the Theology Department the same year in place of M. P. John who left for the Bible Society of India.<ref name="Council" /> In July 1974, the Council of Serampore College granted study leave to Devasahayam who went for doctoral studies ''([[D.D.]])'' to his ''[[alma mater]]'', the [[Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia]], and returned to [[Serampore College]] in the academic year 1976-1977 to take up his teaching responsibilities and Rectorship of the Theology<ref name="Council" /> Department. After having served over seven years in the College, Devasahayam resigned in July 1977.<ref name="Council" />

==Presidentship==
While teaching [[Church history|Church History]] at the [[Andhra Christian Theological College]], a newly formed ecumenical seminary in [[Rajahmundry]], Devasahayam contested for the Presidency of the [[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]] Society headquartered in [[Guntur]] and was elected in 1965<ref name="Raja" /> and was in office till 1969.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal
| author=Robert Eric Frykenberg (Edited)
| title=Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross-cultural communication since 1500 with special reference to caste, conversion, and colonialism
| year=2003
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=wB2hU35Ob0gC&pg=PA365&lpg=PA365&dq=
}}
* {{cite journal
| author=Kolluri Luther Richardson
| title=''Towards Self-Reliance : A historical survey of the programmes and efforts of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1927-1969'', Published by Christopher and Kanakaiah, Vijayawada
| year=2003
}}
* {{cite journal
| author=R. Joseph and B. Suneel Bhanu
| title=Bibliography of Original Christian Writings in India in Telugu
| year=1993
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=3YPgAAAAMAAJ&dq=Bibliography+of+Original+Christian+Writings+in+India+in+Telugu
}}
* {{cite journal
|author=B. C. Paul
|title=''The Emergence of a Church in South India: A Study of the Growth and Development of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church: 1905-1927. Unpublished Th. D. thesis submitted to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.''
|year=1984
|url=http://archive.elca.org/archives/dgm/India.html
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712112221/http://archive.elca.org/archives/dgm/India.html
|archivedate=12 July 2011
}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel}}
{{succession box | before=[[G. Devasahayam]]|title=President
[[Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church]]
|after=[[S. W. Schmitthenner]]| years=1965–1969}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devasahayam, K}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Guntur district]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:20th-century Lutheran clergy]]
[[Category:Indian Lutherans]]
[[Category:Indian bishops]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Christian theologians]]
[[Category:Senate of Serampore College (University) alumni]]
[[Category:Senate of Serampore College (University) faculty]]

K. Devasahayam - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 21:42, 13 August 2023