S. E. Krupa Rao

The Reverend S. E. Krupa Rao Ayyagaru
Born	Sreemanthula Eleazar Krupa Rao June 15, 1939[1][2] Kakinada
Died	August 8, 1993 (aged 54)[1] Kakinada
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Krupa Rao Ayyagaru
Citizenship	India
Education	Pre-Divinity, Serampore College, Serampore, L.Th. Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada B.D. Andhra Christian Theological College, Rajahmundry, S.T.M. Union Theological Seminary (New York City)[1]
Occupation	Pastor
Years active	1963-1993 (30 years)
Religion	Christianity
Parent(s)	Smt. Kempuratnam and Sri Sreemanthula Issac[1]
Church	Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
Ordained	1977, Gudivada[3]
Congregations served	Nellimarla, Kakinada
Offices held	Pastor, Andhra Baptist Church, Nellimarla (1963-1968), Pastor, Andhra Baptist Church, Kakinada (1973-1976), Principal, Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada (1977-1993), Principal, Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women, Tuni (1989-1993)[1]
Title	The Reverend

S. E. Krupa Rao (1939–1993) was a Pastor of the Protestant Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars where he held leadership positions in the Church society whose area of operation extended from Srikakulam District in the northern circars along the Bay of Bengal right through seven districts up to Guntur District.

As an Administrator Krupa Rao contributed to the theological, technical and medical ministries of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars, as Principal^[4] of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada and the Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women, Tuni as well as to the Council of Christian Hospitals, Pithapuram. Krupa Rao headed the major Seminary in Kakinada from 1977 through 1993, the longest ever in the history of the seminary.^[1] In 1989, he also became Principal of the Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women, Tuni and held the office from 1989 succeeding Mildred H. Law.^[1]

Studies

Krupa Rao underwent scholastic studies between 1945-1955 at the CBM-High School and the Zilla Parishad High School in Samalkota and moved to Kakinada for collegiate studies between 1955-1957 to the Pithapuram Raja College.^[1]

Rao was an active Sunday School Teacher in one of the Churches of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars. As a resident^[2] of Kakinada, Krupa Rao came under the influence of then Principal of the Baptist Theological Seminary, A. B. Masilamani who was acting as a Vocation Promoter leading youth towards Priesthood. Masilamani became Krupa Rao's Spiritual Confessor and was able to guide Krupa Rao towards Priesthood making him take up a propadeutic course during 1962-1963 at the Serampore College, Serampore {a constituent College of the Senate of Serampore College (University)} where Rao discerned his avocation towards priesthood and returned to Kakinada and joined^[2] the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada during the Principalship of Waldo Penner to pursue licentiate studies in theology leading to L.Th. which he completed in 1965 and was awarded an L.Th. in the ensuing convocation of the University during the Registrarship of C. Devasahayam.

In 1968,^[1] Krupa Rao joined the Andhra Christian Theological College, Rajahmundry {affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)} to upgrade his academics to Bachelor of Divinity studying under W. D. Coleman, W. P. Peery, Eric J. Lott, B. E. Devaraj, Ryder Devapriam, Suppogu Joseph, M. Victor Paul and other distinguished faculty. After nearly a decade, Krupa Rao was sent to the Union Theological Seminary, New York City (affiliated^[5] to the University of Columbia) where he studied for a master's course in theology during 1979-1980 leading to S.T.M..^[1]

Ecclesiastical ministry

Pastoral

After completing a licentiate course in theology in 1965, Krupa Rao began pastoring Nellimarla parish from 1965 to 1968.^[1] Again from 1973 through 1976, he pastored the Andhra Baptist Church - Jagannaickpur^[2] parish in Kakinada.

Academic

In 1976,^[1] Krupa Rao became a Professor at the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada and was soon installed as Principal^[4] of the Seminary succeeding Gordon D. Barss. During Krupa Rao's stint at the Seminary, he took up the role of a Vocation Promoter guiding youth towards Priesthood enabling them to take up propadeutic courses at the Seminary and then spiritually guiding them to study higher courses at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad in which the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars is a participating member.

Medical

As a member^[1][3] of the Council of Christian Hospitals, Krupa Rao took part in the management of the medical institutions of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars. Krupa Rao represented the Council of Christian Hospitals in the Association and Council of the Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore.^[1][3] Krupa Rao was also a member^[3] of the Christian Medical Association of India.

Krupa Rao (squatting sixth from left) along with his companions, A. B. Masilamani and K. David at a gathering of the Canadian Baptist Ministries in the presence of Gary V. Nelson.

Ecumenical

Andhra Christian Theological College

As a member of the Seminary Council of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada, Rao represented the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars Society as a member of the Board of Governors of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad which had three members of faculty from the CBCNC during that period, namely, K. David, G. Babu Rao and K. D. G. Prakasa Rao and later on D. J. Jeremiah in place of K. David. In the course of time, Krupa Rao became the Chairperson^[1] of the Board during 1990-1992 where he held a name for himself and was able to steer clear of controversies.

In 1990 during the rotation of Principalship from Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches Society to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society, Krupa Rao played a notable role. It was the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches Society which held the Principalship from 1986 through 1990 on a 4-year rotation basis and was then supposed to pass it on to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society but lack of quorum at the Board of Governors meeting of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad made the decision to prolong. Krupa Rao, as Chairperson of the Board of Governors ensured a proper quorum with the help of other Governor Ryder Devapriam which then passed on the 4-year cycle of Principalship to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society. Suppogu Joseph was the outgoing Principal while M. Victor Paul was the Principal-designate during 1990. Incidentally, both Suppogu Joseph and M. Victor Paul happened to tutor Krupa Rao during his licentiate studies in theology at Andhra Christian Theological College at its erstwhile campus at Rajahmundry.

Bible Society of India

As a Branch Secretary of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary, Krupa Rao was instrumental in taking forward the Bible cause. In 1977, Krupa Rao became a member of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary and later became a member of the Executive Committee^[1] of the Bible Society of India Central Office in Bangalore. During Krupa Rao's stint at the Bible Society, he worked closely with his companion Lella Prakasam who also happened to hail from the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars.

References

Notes

1. C. L. Johnson (Edited), Canadian Baptist Mission 125 year's Jubilee Celebrations of Baptist Churches in Northern Circars, Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada, 1999, p.45-47.
2. Akumarthi Samuel, Pastors who served in the Andhra Baptist Church, Jagannaickpur in A. Daniel, K. Venkata Ratnam (Edited), 100 Years Souvenir of Andhra Baptist Church (1906-2006), Andhra Baptist Church, Kakinada, 2006.
3. G. Isaiah (Edited), CBCNC Pastor's Conference Golden Jubilee Souvenir 1952-2002, Visakhapatnam, 2002, p.25. Rev. G. Isaiah is Pastor of the Quirk Memorial Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam and a member of the YMCA, Visakhapatnam.. Isaiah formerly served at the Calvary Baptist Church, Visakhapatnam.
4. Kenneth Knight, Shirley Knight, The Seed Holds the Tree: A Story of India and the Kingdom of God, 2008, p.329.
5. Union Theological Seminary - programmes affiliated to the University of Columbia.

Further reading

• Kenneth and Shirley Knight (2009). "The Seed Holds the Tree: A Story of India and the Kingdom of God". ISBN 978-0-9864766-0-0.