G. D. V. Prasad

The Reverend G. D. V. Prasad CSI
Born	Gundugollu[1] Deva Vara Prasad[1] Andhra Pradesh
Nationality	Indian
Citizenship	Indian
Education	B.Sc.[2] (Andhra), 1979, B. D.[2] (Serampore), 1981,[3] M. Th.[2] (Serampore)
Alma mater	Bishop’s College, Calcutta, United Theological College, Bangalore, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
Occupation	Ecclesiastical Administrator and Translations Scholar
Religion	Christianity
Church	Church of South India[1] (Diocese of Krishna-Godavari)
Writings	2011, The Bible Society of India: Partnership in Scripture Translation[1] 2011, Imaging the Word: A Twenty-First Century Perspective 1811-2011 (with Chiranjivi Nirmal)[4]
Congregations served	CSI-St. John's Church, Visakhapatnam
Offices held	Teacher of Old Testament, Bishop’s College, Calcutta[2] (-1991), Director, (Translations), Bible Society of India, Bangalore (1991[2]-2011[1])
Title	The Reverend

G. D. V. Prasad is an Old Testament Scholar and Translator^[5] who served as the Director of Translations at the Bible Society of India, Bangalore during the period 1991^[2] through 2010. Prasad hails from the Diocese of Krishna-Godavari of the Church of South India.

Studies

After initial graduate studies in sciences at the Andhra University, Prasad discerned his avocation towards priesthood and was sent by N. D. Anandarao Samuel, then Bishop-in-Krishna-Godavari for propadeutic studies to the Bishop’s College, Calcutta^[6] where he pursued a graduate degree in divinity along with his companion, G. Dyvasirvadam, also hailing from the Diocese of Krishna-Godavari. Later, the Senate of Serampore College (University) awarded Prasad a degree in B. D. during the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan.

For postgraduate studies, Prasad enrolled at the United Theological College, Bangalore in 1979^[3] where he specialised in Old Testament under E. C. John, a direct student of Gerhard von Rad and Claus Westermann. Other companions of Prasad during his postgraduate studies included M. Devadas, G. Devakadasham and others.^[3] Prasad's study period at the Seminary in Bangalore coincided with the Old Testament scholar Rev. G. Babu Rao's research studies.^[7] After a two-year study period in Bangalore, Prasad completed his studies by 1981 and was awarded a postgraduate degree, M.Th. by the Senate of Serampore College (University) during the Registrarship of D. S. Satyaranjan. After a period of ecclesiastical ministry as Presbyter and Teacher of Old Testament, Prasad underwent research exposure at the University of Aberdeen,^[8] Scotland.

Ecclesiastical contribution

Pastoral

Prasad was Presbyter^[2] of the CSI-St. John's Church in Visakhapatnam during the bishopric of T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, then CSI-Bishop-in-Krishna-Godavari Diocese. On the retirement of T. B. D. Prakasa Rao as Bishop in 2001 on attaining superannuation, Prasad chose not to contest the bishopric in order to pave way for the election and subsequent consecration of G. Dyvasirvadam, his companion at the Bishop’s College, Calcutta resulting in the unanimous election of G. Dyvasirvadam as the fifth CSI-Bishop-in-Krishna-Godavari Diocese.

Teacher

Prasad also became a Teacher of Old Testament at the Bishop’s College, Calcutta^[2] where he taught Old Testament along with his colleague Timotheas Hembrom who incidentally was a study companion^[3] of G. Babu Rao and Basil Rebera.

Translations

In 1991,^[2] Prasad joined the Bible Society of India as Director, Translations succeeding John Philipose. During Prasad's stint with the Translations Department, he worked closely with the Translation Consultants of the United Bible Societies, Graham Ogden and Basil Rebera.

Following the footsteps of his predecessors, Chrysostom Arangaden, M. P. John and John Philipose, Prasad ensured that translations continued to remain in focus and worked together with his colleague Jonadob Nathaniel, then Translations Advisor. Many versions and revisions of the Bible were released during Prasad's incumbency as Director, Translations. One among them was the Lambadi version of the New Testament which was released at the STBC-Centenary Baptist Church, Secunderabad in the presence of Rev. G. Babu Rao, then Auxiliary Secretary of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary on October 25, 1999.^[9]

During the bicentenary of the Bible Society of India, Prasad along with Chiranjivi J. Nirmal co-authored Imaging the Word: A Twenty-First Century Perspective.^[4]

References

1. G. D. V. Prasad, The Bible Society of India: Partnership in Scripture Translation in Michael Nai-Chiu Poon (Edited), Church Partnerships in Asia: A Singapore Conversation, Singapore, 2011, pp.196-204, 224.
2. The Bible Society of India, Our Directors
3. K. M. Hiwale (Compiled), Directory of the United Theological College 1910–1997, Bangalore, 1997. Past students, postgraduate course, p.116.
4. G. D. V. Prasad, Chiranjivi J. Nirmal, Imaging the Word: A Twenty-First Century Perspective, The Bible Society of India 1811-2011, Bible Society of India, Bangalore, 2000, (revised edition 2011), p.115.
5. Ji-Youn Cho, Politeness and Korean Addressee Honorifics in Jesus' Reply, “’Eγώ ἐıμı, κἀı ̓óψεσθε τòν ὑıòν τoυ̑ ̓ανθρώπου…” in The Bible Translator, January 2008; vol. 59, 1: pp. 26-38.
6. The Community of Women and Men in the Church: Report of the Asian Consultation Held at the United Theological College, Bangalore on 11–15 August 1978 : Sponsored by the World Council of Churches, Geneva, United Theological College, Bangalore, 1978, p.104.
7. G. Babu Rao, Content Analysis of Theological Syllabi – Old Testament, Religion and Society, Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, 3 September 1985.
8. British phone book
9. Sowing Circle, A Bulletin of the Bible Society of India, Volume 15, Number 1, January–April 2000 (For Private Circulation), Bengaluru. pp.24-25.

Further reading

• G. D. V. Prasad, Chiranjivi J. Nirmal (2011). "Imaging the Word: A Twenty-First Century Perspective 1811-2011". The Bible Society of India.