Mr. Gnanamuthu Jesudasan , the first Indian ordained Pastor of the   M.E.L.I.M ., in India [ 1872-1955]::

Introduction:  Mr.Gnanmuthu Jesudasan was one of the important milestones  of the   religious and social history of Kanyakuamri district.  He was the man who  was singularly  responsible for  establishment of Missouri Evangelical Church {MELIM} in Kanyakumari district in the year 1907 and he laid the foundation for the educational and cultural renaissance of  the  long neglected poorest sections of the society.. He was popularly called as the  second Vedamanickam of South Travancore. Vedamanickam was responsible to bring London Missionary Society into South Travancore in 1806 and his close relative  Gnanamuthu Jesudasan was responsible to bring Missouri Evangelical Lutheran India Mission into South Travancore exactly after 100 years..

His Birth and Place : Mr. G.Jusudasan was born in the month of June , 1872, in kandy in Sri Lanka.  His parents originally belonged to the Nanjilnadu of Kanyakumari district. He was baptized by Revd. William Clarke in 1872 at the C.M.S. church at Kandy , Sri Lanka.

But he continued his education in Kanyakumari district, and passed his  Madras Matriculation examination in 1893.  Then he continued his  Senior  Intermmediate Course   in the Scott Christian College , Nagercoil  and as he failed in the  exam he discontinued his college education.  But propelled by his indomitable will power he passed  the  Pitman Short Hand  examination  with flying colours.  Jesudasan joined as  the  Secretary to the then British Resident at  Trivandrum in the year 1896.  During this period of time, Jesudasan's relative   and author of the the Church History of Travancore, Mr. C.M. Agur ,B.A., was functioning as the Office Manager in the British Resident's office at Trivandrum and  Jesudasan's brother Mr. Gnanamuthu Joshua , B.A., was serving as a Secretary to the Government of Travancore .

Jusudasan's marriage: In the year 1901 , Jesudasan married Christina Manononmani, the grand-daughter of the great Christian   poet   Mylaudy John Palmer at Christ Church , Trivandrum and the marriage was  solemnized by an English Missionary by name   Revd. Boyer.  Five children were born to him including the great Organist , Violinist and Flutist  Mr. J.  Sam Raj, B.A, L.T

Jesudasan resigned  his respectable job:  He believed  that Christianity will  empower  the neglected sectionof his community educationally and socially ; and as  he was displeased  with  the working design and style of the London Missionary Society in Kanyakumari district,  he wanted to bring   a new Christian Mission.  to Kanyakumari district  to work among and for  his poor people. .

Invitation to MELIM Missionaries:

Jesudasan was an  voracious reader and writer ; and he had good command over English language. He was contributing  English  Articles  regularly in a magazine called" The Chritian Patriot ", published from Madras; and one day while reading that magazine he came across an Article  about MELIM and it's missionary field. Since 1895 The MELIM missinaries  like Theodre Naether were doing evangelical service and work in Krishnagiri and Ambur areas in the  northern Tamilnadu   .He instantly wrote an invitation letter to the MELIM missionaries who were working in  Krishnagiri area. . After some  initial clarification the MELIM missionaries accepted the invitation of Jesudasan and sent  two  MELIM missionaries , Rev. Huebener, and Rev .Nau to  South Travancore [Kanyakumari  district]and  Jesudasan went to Aralvaimozhi and received the MELIM missionaries on 21st February , !907 .  And these MELIM missionaries started the Lutheran Mission's missionary work in Nanjil Nadu in Kanyakumari district   with the help of Jesudasan. In order to assist the Lutheran missionaries Jesudasan  resigned his  respectable and remunerative British Government job after one year  in 1908. Really it was a historical sacrifice.

MELIM Churches were established in Kanyakumari district[South Travancore]:  The first MELIM church was established at Vadesery in 1907  and  staring from  Vadasery many  Lutheran churches and side by side many Primary Schools and some High Schools  were also  established  in Kanyakumari district, within a short span of time . The Lutheran missionary fields were extended to the Tiunelvelli and Trivandrum areas also, due to the tireless efforts of the MELIM missionaries  and Jesudasan . The MELIM missionaries gave short theological training to Jesudasan  and  in  recognition of his valuable missionary work and his deep Bible knowledge, Jesudasan was ordained as  the first  Indian   MELIM  Pastor in 1921 by the MELIM   missionaries even before the establishment of the Concordia Theological Seminary at Nagercoil in 1924.   Jesudasan as a dedicated social and Christian Missionary worked for the comprehensive  and total progress and development  of the  poor  people,through his tireless  missionary service.  This great visionary and missionary Gnanamuthu Jesudasan  passed away in 1955.

Conclusion :

In 1958 ,  The Missouri Evangelical India  Mission  changed its name as India Evangelical Lutheran Church. Since then the IELC has been continuing its religious , social and educational goals and commitments with new scope and spirit.  Now IELC has three Synods namely: Ambur Synod, Nagercoil Synod andTrivandrum Synod.   In the IELC  there  are about  114600 members  today and it has 764   congregations . There 61 Elementary and middle schools; 12 High Schools and Higher Secondary Schools, 8 Schools for the  mentally challenged people and 3 prestigious  Hospitals  and   a  Theological College by name the Concordia Theological  College at Nagercoil [affiliated to the Serampur University,India] and so on Many  doctors , scientists , university and college and school   teachers, para- medical professionals , pastors and engineers of  IELC  and specially from Nagercoil Synod are working through out the world including the  countries like U.K, U.S.A., Canada , Gulf countries and so on . To cite one example , I am proud to say that  Dr. R.  John, B.Tech, M.S , Ph.D,. a    Lutheran Christian from Vadesery congregation , after having received a Ph.D  in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, U.S. in1984 ,  worked as a Scientist in the world famous NASA , USA from 1986 to 1994.  Gnanamuthu Jesadasan's vision is being actuated by the younger generations of the IELC and so long  as there is IELC,   Gnanamuthu Jesudasan's name will be also remembered  by the Lutheran Christians  , general public ,historians  and social  activists of Kanyakumari district and India .

P.BABU MANOHARAN, M.A,{Rights reserved- This Article will be modified or altered if needed later].