Chetti Devasahayam

Chetti Devasahayam (6 October 1913 – 28 February 1993) was the Registrar of the nation's first University,[5] the Senate of Serampore College (University) who was in office from 1960 through 1975.[6] It was during Devasahayam's tenure at the University that ecumenism gave way to merger of seminaries and the formation of special purpose entity's throughout India. It was Devasahayam who gave the inaugural address when the Andhra Christian Theological College was formed in 1964 in Rajahmundry.[7]

Chetti Devasahayam, CBCNC
Born6 October 1913[1]
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died28 February 1993[1]
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
NationalityIndian
EducationBSc (Andhra University),
B. D. (Senate of Serampore College),
Th.M. (Northern Baptist Theological Seminary),
D. D. (Northern Baptist Theological Seminary)
OccupationTheologian
ChurchCanadian Baptist Mission/Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars[2]
Ordained1943[1]
Writings1974, The Role of Baptists in the Religious Future of India [3]
Offices held

Pastor, Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars (1939–1960)
Military Chaplain, Royal Indian Navy (1942–1947)[4]Registrar, Senate of Serampore College (University) (1960–1975)
Pastor, Lower Circular Road Baptist Chapel, Kolkata (1968–1993[4])
TitleThe Reverend Doctor

Studies

After scholastic studies at the CBM-McLaurin High School in Kakinada, Devasahayam enrolled for graduate studies from 1931–1933[1] at the Pithapuram Rajah College in Kakinada from where he obtained a degree in Sciences leading to the award of Bachelor of Science (BSc) by the Andhra University. For ministerial formation, Devasahayam studied from 1936[8]–1939[1] at Serampore College, Serampore as a candidate of the Canadian Baptist Mission/Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars at the Serampore College, Serampore.

In Fall 1955,[1] Devasahayam was sent by his Church Society for upgrading his academics at the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard, Illinois where he enrolled for a postgraduate course in Master of Theology (Th.M.) completing it by May 1956.

Christian work

After Devasahayam's ministerial studies at Serampore College, he was assigned pastoral roles in rural areas where there were hardly any Christians and much like the Baptist heritage, he was left to himself to build up congregations.[1] From 1939 to 1942, he was Visakha Field Supervisor of the Canadian Baptist Mission.

At the height of the World War II, Devasahayam was asked to serve in the Royal Indian Navy as a Military Chaplain.[4] Devasahayam was Military Chaplain from 1942 through 1947 and returned to Church ministry.[1]

He returned to the Church Society in 1947 and subsequently ministered in parishes of Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars from 1947[9] as Krishna Field Minister stationed at Avanigadda[10] During an overseas missionary visit to Canada in 1951, Devasahayam addressed a missionary meeting in Canada where many came from Okanagan, Kaleden, Peachland, Kelowna, and Vernon.[11]

University and Chapel

In 1960,[12] Devasahayam was appointed as Registrar[13] of the nation's first University. As Registrar, Devasahayam was also a member of the Council of Senate of Serampore College.[13]

While performing his duties at the university, Devasahayam was an honorary pastor at Lower Circular Road Baptist Chapel in Kolkata, the chapel founded by William Carey. Devasahayam used to pastor the church from 1968 onwards and became a full-time[1] Pastor of the Chapel in 1975,[4] but it was not until 1978 that he resigned from the university.[13]

Devasahayam was visiting professor at his alma mater, the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary[14] during 1974–1975.

Academic offices
Preceded by
William Stewart
1954–1959[6]		 Registrar,
Senate of Serampore College
1960–1975[6]		 Succeeded by
J. T. Krogh
1975–1978[6]

References
  1. C. L. Johnson (Edited), Canadian Baptist Mission 125-year's Jubilee Celebrations of Baptist Churches in Northern Circars, Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada, 1999, pp.258–258
  2. Foundations, Volume 11, American Baptist Historical Society, 1968, p.325.
  3. C. Devasahayam, The Role of Baptists in the Religious Future of India, Baptist History and Heritage, Volumes 10–11, Historical Commission of the SBC, 1975.
  4. Betty Kaiser, Inspirational life of Padma Chetti
  5. Murli Manohar Joshi, Higher Education in India Vision and Action, A paper presented at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty First Century, Paris, 5–9 October 1998. Internet, accessed 22 August 2008. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Senate of Serampore College (University), Registrars of the Senate Archived 19 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  7. The Lutheran, Volume 2, Lutheran Church in America, 1964, p.30
  8. S. J. Samartha, M. P. John (Compiled), Directory of students 1910-1967, Serampore College (Theology Department), Serampore, 1967, p.10.
  9. Knight, Kenneth; Knight, Shirley (2009). The Seed Holds the Tree: A Story of India and the Kingdom of God. pp. 125–126. ISBN 9780986476600.
  10. C. Devasahayam's book review on T. C. Witney, Amos in Indian Journal of Theology 6.4 (Oct – Dec. 1957), 147–155.
  11. Year Book of the Baptist Union of Western Canada 1951–1952. Baptist Union of Western Canada. 1951. pp. 13, 113.
  12. Baptist Yearbook. Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec. 1959. p. 165.
  13. Serampore College (2005) [1961]. The story of Serampore and its college (4th ed.). Council of Serampore College. pp. 129–137.
  14. The Chicago Cluster of Theological Schools, 1974–1975
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