Introduction :Former Head Master of a famous aided Higher Secondary School in Trivandrum city and Mathematician late Mr .M.Chidambaram B.A, L.T and his brother Rtd Head Master. of a Government Higher Secondary School Mr Sathianesan, M.Sc, B.T and their sister's son and Former Principal of the Concordia Theological Seminary, Nagercoil,. Dr. D. Monika Raj, M.A, M.Th, D.Th had played an important and indelible role in the Social, Educational, and Cultural history of Kanyakumari District and South India. A short profile about each of these remarkable personalities will definitely help the readers, youth and the micro-historians to know more about the untold and galvanising history of these unsung heroes and their families.
Former Head Master late Mr. M. Chidambaram , B.A, L.T : Mr. M Chudambaram, B.A, L.T, son of Mr Monikam and Ms Neelammaal of Peruvilai was a great educationist and mathematician. .Mr. M. Chidambaram married Ms Renjitham from Ambulikonam and Mr Chidambaram and Ms Renjitham Chidambaram couple gave birth to the following children namely :-[1] late Mr. C. Paul, B.A, B.L , [2] Ms Nirmala , M.A and she worked in BSNL and she married Mr. Samuel and Mr Samuel worked and retired as a Head Master of a Higher Secondary School in Chennai , [3] Ms Mary , [4] Ms Grace , M.A[ English Lit ], B.T, .
Mr. M Chidambaram after having passed his B.A, L.T, joined as a High School Teacher at the famous S.A. High School at Kowdiar in Trivandrum and later this School was upgraded as a Higher Secondary School .Mr M Chidambaram was a great Teacher and Administrator. Out of his total service of 35 years in this School, nearly 25 years he served as Head Master of this School with great Distinction then he retired from his long cherishing teaching career . As an Educationist and Teacher he was very popular in Trivandrum and some of his former students decorated very high positions in the Kerala government and also in public life.
Mr. M. Sathianesan , M.Sc. L.T , ; Mr . Sathinesan was born to Mr Monikam and ms Neelammal as their last child . Mr. Sathianesan M.Sc, LT married Ms Thasammal and this couple gave birth to two sons and two daughters namely :-[1] Mr. Babu, [2] Ms .Reji, B.Sc and she is married and is blessed with two sons and both of these two sons are B.E engineers , [3] name is not available , [4] Ms . Nirmala, B.Com, B.T, and she is married and blessed with one son and one daughter. .Mr. M. Sathianesan M.Sc, L.T worked as a PG Assistant in some Government Hr Secondary Schools for some decades and finally he worked as Head Master at the Government Higher Secondary School at Arumanallur in K.K Dist and retired. He is currently living his retirement life at the beautiful Thazhakudy Village in Thovalai taluk .
Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj's Parent and Birth : In Nanjil Nadu a gentleman by name Mr Daniel was living in a beautiful village called Pranthaneri with his lovely wife by name Ms Punniamuthu and God blessed this couple and this couple gave birth to Rev.Dr Monijkaraj on 28th March 1952 .
Rev. Dr. D, Monika Raj's Educational Track : Young Daniel Monika Raj did his Primary School education at the Lutheran Primary School a Charalvilai. and then he pursued his High School studies at the Concordia High School Nagercoil and passed his S.S.L.C in the year 1969. Then he did his P.U.C at the famous Pioneer Kumaraswamy College , Nagercoil and passed his P.U.C in 1970. Rev. Monika Raj pursued his B.A at the famous Scott Christian College Nagercoil and passed his B.A in the year 1973. . After having passed his B.A, Rev Monika Raj did his one year Catechist Course at the Concordia Theological Seminary Nagercoil [1975--1976] and successfully completed this Catechist Course, . Rev Monika Raj in line with his family tradition he is also blessed with the thirst for knowledge and so he did his M.A {Sociology ]in the Annamalai University through Private Study and passed his M.A[ Sociology] in the year 1980.
Dr. D. Monika Raj's Theological Education Rev Dr. Monika Raj did his B.D,[Bachelor of Divinity] at the prestigious United Theological College [ UTC] in Bangalore [1976--1981] and passed his B D, in the year 1981. . While doing his B D. course at UTC Rev. Monika Raj bagged three First prizes namely,[1] First Prize in Greek Preliminary, [2] First Prize in Hebrew Preliminary and [3] First Prize in Church History . Rev. D. Monika Raj pursued his M.Th at the UTC, Bangalore [1986--1988 ] and passed his M.Th in the year 1988. After having passed his M.Th, Rev.Daniel Monika Raj pursued his Doctor of Theology [ 1996--2001] at the Serampore University and passed his D.Th. The title of his Doctoral Thesis was "New testament--- Kingdom of Christ]".
Rev Dr Monika Raj's Wife and Children : Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj married Ms. kamala Raja Selvi , M.A, M.Ed a daughter of major Manuel . Ms kamla Raja Selvi worked as a P G Assistant for many years in Government Higher Secondary Schools and retired while working at the Thopoor Govt Higher Secondary School. She was a very good English teacher and also a good communicator in English. Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj and Ms Kamala Raja Selvi couple gave birth to the following children namely :- [1] Rev. Maccaranth M. Thomas, B.D M.Th and he married Ms. Selina , B.Sc [ Nursing] and this couple is blessed with two lovely children .Rev. Maccaranth Thomas is working as a Pastor in I.E.L.C in Nagercoil Synod, [2] Mr Easter M Patric , {B.Sc[ Nursing] and he married Ms Deepthi, B,Sc[ Nursing] and this couple is blessed with two sons namely Eathen and Ervin and [3] Mr Gibson M. Daniel, B.E[ I.T] and he is married to Ms .Dr. Preethi, B.D.S, and this couple is blessed with two sons namely Machshan and Zacrion
Rev. Dr. Monika Raj's Pastoral Career : Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj commenced his Pastoral service in the I.E.L.C as a Pastor at Valuthalam Pallam Lutheran congregation in the year 1981.. Then he was transferred to Calvary Lutheran Church in Nageercoil and while he was working at the Calvary Lutheran Church Nagercoil; Rev Daniel Monika Raj was ordained as a Pastor in the year 1984. While working at the Calvary Lutheran Church he also had the privilege to work as a Part Time Lecturer at the Concordia Theological Seminary Nagercoil in 1986.
Rev, Dr. Monika Raj's Teaching career in Concordia Theologiacal Seminary, Nagercoil : Rev Dr. Monika Raj joined as a full time New Testament Professor at the Concordia Theological Seminary Nagercoil in the year 1991 and afterwards there was no turning back. Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj was promoted as Principal of the Nagercoil Concordia Theological Seminary in the year 2013 and after having served for some years with distinction as Principal of the Concordia Theological Seminary, Nagercoil he retied from service in the year 2017 .
Conclusion : Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj is a good writer and he has written the following books namely ;-[1] Sermon Outline [ Three Volumes in English], [2] A Daily Bible Reading book in Tamil called ' Ovvorunaazhum Yesuvodu [ each day with Jesus ],[3]The Inheritors of the Kingdom of God, According to Luican Perspective , published by ISPCK, Delhi, 2008, Pages 288 + ] . Rev. Dr. Dr Monika Raj is a powerful Preacher and Evangelist. and a good writer both in English and Tamil . He had visited the following countries namely [1] USA [ 4 times], [2] , Germany, [3] South Africa ,[4]New Zealand , [5] and Sri Lanka [ 4 times]. . Some of his theological students who studied under him at the Concordia Theologial Seminary Nagearcoil are doing very well in many fields, like Pastors, Church Leaders, Theology Teachers and so on but here I will cite only one person.that is Rev. Dr. Babu , D.Th,and he was one of Dr. Monika Raj's worthy and brilliant students and now he is working as the Chief Executive Officer in CMS, India . It will be appropriate and useful to readers to know that Rev.Dr. D. Monika Raj is a paternal First Cousin of the the former Additional Chief Secretary to the Govt of Kerala Mr. P.Michael Vetha Siromony , I.A.S .. Rev Dr. Monika Raj's thirst for knowledge , and his new approach and explanation on theological issues and his thirst for the total liberation of the marginalised sections, really inspire and galvanise us with new inspiration and goals His galvanising Book, "The Inheritors of the Kingdom of God, According to Lucan Perspective " proves himself as a great Theological and Social Thinker . Rev. D. Monika Raj always loves to walk in the clothes of the humble among he poorest,lowliest, lost and the last . Indeed Rev. Dr. D. Monika Raj is great Pastor and theological Teacher and a valuable and shining Milestones in the I.E.L.C history and I am proud of him.
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By. P. Babu Manoharan, M.A,.[ All Rights area reserved. This Article will be enlarged, modified or corrected later if needed ]
Greetings to you. Thanks for your spontaneous and inspiring comment. ..
ReplyDeleter. Monica Raj's biography is incomplete. As a pastor and a teacher at CTS, he experienced both highs and lows. He worked for the CTS in a number of positions before retiring as Principal. He held the position of Bursar for a considerable amount of time, during which all endowments at the seminary got vanished which were created by the sons and daughters of several missionaries who had worked in India. He was trained by Dr. Rajaiyan, the former head of CTS, and placed in charge of IMS, which was supported by friends of India who attended LCMS churches in the US. According to Mr. Mark Appold, who was in charge of overseeing IMS's activities in the USA, Rev. Monica Raj failed to submit the report to IMS for the period from 2015 to 2016, during which time IMS ceased to exist as a result of the passing of many of its sponsors. As he vowed to the US sponsors, Rev. Monica Raj cunningly consumed the entire sum without giving it to anyone in India. One of his project coworkers said that his cause was included in the IMS's strategy but that no funding had been provided since 2006.
ReplyDeletehow much empowerment did he provide his own people? He advocates for the rights of dalits nonstop, yet he hasn't assisted any dalits who wanted to study theology. However, he exploited his position to secure funding for his own son to study theology in the United States, who left the country only to return halfway through, wasting both LCMS funds and the chance of another Indian student.