Victor Premasagar

Victor went to the United Theological College in Bangalore and studied spirituality during 1950-1954[12] and took his Bachelor of Divinity in 1955 in the ensuing convocation of the Senate of Serampore College (University) during the Registrarship of The Rev. William Stewart. While at UTC, Bangalore, those studying during that period include G. Solomon, V. C. Samuel, E. C. John, Samuel Amirtham, N. D. Anandarao Samuel, C. D. Jathanna, K. E. Swamidass, G. B. Devasahayam, among others.

In due course of time, he was sent to Cambridge University where he specialized in the study of the Old Testament studying from 1964-1966[13] at Westminster College, Cambridge (affiliated[14] to the University of Cambridge) and was awarded the Cambridge Tripos.

In 1969, the Board of Governors of ACTC accorded him study leave which Premasagar used to go to St. Andrews University, Scotland for further studies in the Old Testament and studied in St Mary's College between 1969-1972[13] and was guided by William McKane and J. D. Martin was awarded a Ph.D. by the St. Andrews University based on his dissertation entitled The Theme of Promise in the Patriarchal Narratives.[4]

After Premasagar's ordination as Presbyter, he began pastoring parishes in Siddipet, Mancherial, Soan and Shankarampet.

Premasagar first taught at the Andhra Union Theological College (AUTC), Dornakal between 1961-1964[13] and his other colleagues included Eric J. Lott and later he left for specialized studies to England. By this time, the AUTC together with the Lutheran Theological College, Rajahmundry and the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kakinada formed the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1964. By the time Premasagar returned from his studies in 1966,[13] he was reassigned to teach at the new entity in the river town of Rajahmundry.

Again between 1969-1972[13] after a period of study leave, he returned to ACTC to continue his teaching and became its second principal in 1973 succeeding W. D. Coleman. On invitation from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, in the United States of America, he took sabbatical from ACTC to teach there for a year. On his return, the board of governors was pleased to extend the term of principalship by two more terms, 1973–1976 and 1977–1980. David, a New Testament scholar, succeeded Premasagar as principal at ACTC.

Premasagar used to teach Old Testament and Hebrew language at the Andhra Christian Theological College, first at Rajahmundry and then at Secunderabad and co-faculty included W. D. Coleman[15] and M. Vidyanandam.[15] By 1973, Premasagar's collegemate G. Solomon,[16] a Teacher - in - Old Testament at the Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological College joined the faculty, also teaching Old Testament. By 1977, G. Babu Rao,[17] a Teacher - in - Old Testament at Serampore College, Serampore moved to the College.[18]

• General Secretary

While continuing to serve at ACTC, he was elected in-absentia[13] as General Secretary of the Church of South India Synod at its XVIIth session of the held at Tambaram in 1980.

• Deputy Moderator

During the XXth session of the Church of South India Synod held at Trivandrum in 1986, Premasagar was elected as the Deputy Moderator.

• Moderator

During the XIst session of the Church of South India Synod held during 13–18 January 1988 held in Madurai, he was elected[19] as the Moderator of the Church of South India.

Tomb of Victor Premasagar at the Cemetery of CSI-Church of St. John the Baptist, Parade Grounds, Secunderabad Cantonment.

Later, in 1983 he was elected as the Bishop-in-Medak, Asia's largest Anglican bishopric. It was at this time that indigenous methods were devised and put into practice for raising funds from the local congregations for supporting Church programmes which was met with widespread success. He was instrumental in bringing rapid development of the Church – congregation-wise as well as in its social action.

As for the educational institutions in the diocese of Medak, schools were made to adapt to modern trends to face the changing pattern. St. George's Grammar School, Wesley College and other educational institutions were modernised during Premasagar's tenure.

In the year 1983, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom came to Hyderabad. On 20 November 1983, the Queen celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary in the Holy Trinity Church in Bolarum, Secunderabad.[20] The Church service was officiated by Bishop Premasagar and his ministerial colleagues Rev. B. Prabhakar Rao and Rev. B. P. Sugandhar, the present Bishop-in-Medak and the Moderator of the CSI.

The Bishops of the Church of South India are invited to the decennial Lambeth Conference held at the Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London. Rev. Premasagar attended the eleventh and twelfth conferences in 1978 and 1988 respectively.

Premasagar was a translator for the Bible Society of India (BSI) in its Telugu Bible Common Language Translation Programme since the 1970s. He headed the Translations Committee of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary till the 1990s and then was followed by Rev. G. Babu Rao, his colleague while at ACTC. Premasagar was also the President of the Bible Society of India headquartered in Bangalore from 1988 to 1994[21] and continued to be a member of the India Bible Society Trust Association for a long period.