Andhra-Christian College

Andhra Christian College

A C College
Latin: Collegium Andhra Christianus
Motto	Latin: Et Cognoscetis Veritatem Et Veritas Liberabit Vos. English: ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Type	College
Established	1885
Chancellor	President, Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church(AELC)
Principal	Dr P Mutyam
Location	Guntur City, Andhra Pradesh, India 16°17′47.8″N 80°26′33.1″E / 16.296611°N 80.442528°ECoordinates: 16°17′47.8″N 80°26′33.1″E / 16.296611°N 80.442528°E
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	Board of Intermediate Education, Abids, Hyderabad 500 001 Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar 522 510, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

The Andhra Christian College or A.C. College is one of the oldest colleges India: It started in 1885. AC College is part of the education enterprise of the Protestant churches. It admits intermediate, undergraduate and graduate students and awards degrees through the Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar to which it is affiliated.

Saint George is its patron saint. At the entrance of the college, there is a statue of the saint slaying the dragon.

Elected officials of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church administer the college.

Motto

In Latin, the motto is Et Cognoscetis Veritatem Et Veritas Liberabit Vos ("Ye shall know the truth: and the truth shall set you free").^[1]

History

AC College was established in 1885 in Guntur City and was one of the first colleges in India to offer graduate programs. Protestant missionaries from the U.S.A established the college.

The then United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) through Rev. Fr. John Christian Frederick Heyer (known as Father Heyer) established the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church on 31 July 1842.^[2]

Administration

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) through its Board of Education administers the college.

The school consists of three entities:

• Day College
• Evening College
• College of Law

Courses offered

Main campus

Intermediate

Pre-university or Intermediate courses are offered. The college is affiliated to the Board of Intermediate Education, Hyderabad, a regulatory authority for pre-university courses in Andhra Pradesh.

The following course combinations are available:

• Biology, Physics, Chemistry
• Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry
• History, Economics, Commerce
• Civics, Economics, Commerce

Graduate programmes

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.)

Post-graduate programmes

• Master of Arts (M.A.) English and History
• Master of Science (M.Sc.) Chemistry and Zoology

Notable alumni

• N._T._Rama_Rao

Science & Technology

• Dr Vellanki Seshagiri Rao former Associate Director & Distinguished Scientist ISRO SHAR

Business

• Dr. K. Anji Reddy

Education

• Dewan Bahadur T. S. Paulus^[3]

Film

• Sobhan Babu
• Vasanthi
• N T Rama Rao
• Kongara Jaggayya
• Jaya Prakash Reddy

Literature

• Jandhyala Papayya Sastry, poet who wrote Pushpa Vilapam

Politics

• Bhavanam Venkataram
• Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
• N. G. Ranga
• NT Rama Rao
• S. V. L. Narasimham
• Jesudasu Seelam
• Nakka. Anandh babu

Theology

• Rev. Dr. P. Victor Premasagar
• Rev. Dr. B. V. Subbamma^[4]
• Rev. Dr. Dass Babu^[5]
• Rev. Dr. N. V. Luther Paul^[6]

In film

Pilla Zamindar, a Telugu movie, was filmed at the college. It was named Mangamma Memorial College in the movie.

References

Notes

1. John 8:32 Gospel of John in the Latin Vulgate
2. Luther Richardson, Kolluri, Rev., Towards Self-Reliance, p. xi, Editorial by Rev. Dr. D.V. Daniel
3. T.S. Paulus served as principal and was war advisor to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
4. The Story of Serampore and its College IVth edition 2006, Appendix VI, pp. 177-179
5. Rev. Dr. Dass Babu is a disciple of Premasagar
6. Dr. Luther Paul presently heads a Seminary in Hyderabad Andhra Christian Theological College

Further reading

• Luther Richardson, Kolluri, Rev. (2003). "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".
• Senftleben, Martin (1992). "Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati" (PDF) I.
• _______________, (1992). "Influences of Hinduism on Christianity in Andhra Pradesh. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati" (PDF) II.