L. Prakasam

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[3]-1998,[4] the longest in the history of the Auxiliary.

Lella Prakasam, CBCNC
Born	Andhra Pradesh
Died	18.7.1998[1] Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Auxiliary Secretary, Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary
Congregations served	Ichchapuram,[2] Sompeta,[1] Tekkali,[2] Visakhapatnam[2]
Offices held	Chaplain, Arogyavaram Eye Hospital, Sompeta,[2] Manager, Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary[1] Bible House and Reading Room, Visakhapatnam (1974-1982),[3] Auxiliary Secretary, Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary,[1] Secunderabad (1982-1998)[3]
Title	The Reverend

Prakasam belonged to the Krishna Association of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars and hailed from Akiveedu[2]

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.[2] 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[3] as Manager[3] of the Bible House and Reading Room[5] 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 Telugu language were periodically held by the Old Testament Scholars, Graham Ogden, G. Babu Rao[6] 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[3] of the Auxiliary ensuring that the Translations, Distribution,[3] and Resource Mobilisation areas were developed.

After serving nearly 17 years of distinguished work at the Auxiliary, Prakasam breathed his last on 18.7.1998[1] in Visakhapatnam. To fill the unexpected void, the Bible Society of India appointed[7] Prakasam's confidante 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[8][9] from the period of B. G. Prasada Rao.

Other offices
Preceded by T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI 1976-1981[4]	Auxiliary Secretary Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary, Secunderabad 1982[3]-1998[4]	Succeeded by G. Babu Rao, CBCNC 1998-2001[4]

References

1. The Pastors Who Served Calvary. Calvary Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam
2. W. Gordon Carder, On the Beginning of the Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission to India, Revised version, p.220. Cited in the Baptist Quarterly, 2008.
3. Sowing Circle - The bulletin of the Bible Society of India, Volume 13, Number 3, September–December 1998, p.14.
4. 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.
5. The Journal of the Christian Medical Association of India, Volume 38, 1964, p.79.
6. H. S. Wilson (Edited), The Church on the Move, Essays in honour of Victor Premasagar, Christian Literature Society, Madras, 1988, p.vi.
7. Sowing Circle - The bulletin of the Bible Society of India, Volume 14, Number 2, May–August 1999, p.45.
8. Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (Translated), Book of Ruth, Bible Society of India, Bangalore, 1976.
9. Suppogu Israel, G. Babu Rao (Translated), The Man You Cannot Ignore, Bible Society of India, Bangalore, 1976.