A theologist remembered
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David Chellappa was the first Indian to be consecrated as the bishop of Madras in the Church of South India. At the time of his birth centenary, which falls on February 15, SELINE AUGUSTINE talks to a few who had known the bishop ...
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Rev. David Chellappa
IT WAS the year 1955. On St.Paul's Day, January 25, Rev. David Chellappa was consecrated as the first Indian bishop of Madras in the Church of South India. The newly elected Bishop chose that date in honour of the patron saint of the school he had served as Principal for nearly 20 years. Till then only English Bishops had served, and after his death nine years later it was another Englishman, Rev. Leslie Newbegin who donned the mantle.
David, the eldest of eight children, was born in Thanjavur, in 1905, and his father was a Judge in the Madras High Court. After studying English Literature in Madras Christian College for a brief while he went to England to study Theology. He joined St. Augustine's College in Canterbury, and after a break in the middle when he came to India he did his B.A. in English Literature and a Diploma in Education from Durham. During the latter period he also served as a Curate in St. Cuthbert's Church, Durham, his ministry being chiefly to coal-miners.
In 1932, David joined Christava Seva Sanga Ashram in Poona, established by J. C. Winslow. Next year he joined the Madras Diocese and was ordained priest by Rev. E. H. M. Waller and was appointed to serve in Mattupatti and Irangalur villages in Tiruchi District.
On his return from England in 1937 he was appointed Principal, St. Paul's High School, Vepery. While he was the Principal, he was made priest-in-charge of St. Thomas English Church in Santhome. For his proficiency in English and his honest and bold views, in 1946 he was made editor of Madras Diocesan Magazine and editor of the South India Churchman.
Rev. David was elected the Bishop of Madras. The origins of the Madras Diocese go back to 1835 and David became the first Indian Bishop of Madras in the Church of South India (CSI). David was known for his administrative abilities and for enforcing discipline as principal. St. Paul's High School once again reached heights that it had enjoyed when the faculty were from Oxford University, England. He appointed highly skilled teachers who imparted excellent education to over 1000 students who were mostly from average middle class families.
Cecil Perianayagam, former Commissioner of Income Tax, Bombay, recalls, "Despite knowing my family which respected and loved him, he was impartial toward my brother and me. When my father late Joseph Jerome Perianayagam sent me and my brother for school admission in 1939, Principal Chellappa looked at our clothes and asked us what we thought we were wearing. `Are they long shorts or short pants?' As both of us stood shivering in fright, my dad's assistant said "Iyah, their father got these stitched as they are growing boys and they may not need new ones for a year". Our peace returned as he laughed and patted our backs saying, "Well, it's all in the game". He was a great educationist with a terrific sense of humour, reminisced Periayanayagam.
A voracious reader who specialised on Religion and Literature, he wrote many books. Among them are "Tree on a Hill", "Seven Words Against 7 Sins" and "Saints Speak." The Rt. Rev. Dr. David Chellappa could easily identify himself with different classes and types of people in his diocese. He was well accepted by Christians of various denominations. Long before Pope John called for the unification of the churches and the Ecumenical Movement started, Archbishop Louis Matthias and Bishop Carvalho were friends of Bishop Chellappa.
Churches overseas greatly respected the Bishop's views and opinions and sought his counsel on important matters. He was invited by the Reformed Churches of America in 1957 and during his stay there, received the honorary D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) conferred on him by Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Life in the U.S.
AT A SCHOOL FUNCTION IN THE LATE 1950s: The Bishop with the Madras Governor, Bishmaram Medhi, seated on his right. Next is Rev. Ralph Taylor.
On his return to India the same year he was asked, "What is life like in the U.S.?" Bishop Chellappa narrated an interesting episode, which strikes a chord even today 48 years later. "It happened several days after my arrival in the fast moving city of New York. Everybody seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere. It didn't take long before I fell into the same pace". One evening he hurried to a corner where there were several taxicabs and cars. He told the driver to take him to the seminary. When the latter did not know the location, the Bishop gave the directions. On arriving when he asked what fare he had to pay, he got the reply: "The fare? This isn't a taxi".
M. M. Rajendran, former Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, has this to say about the Bishop whom he knew well. "Being the first Indian Bishop he had to face the disadvantages of being compared. But Bishop Chellappa had set new standards in probity, integrity and efficiency. He was liberal at a time when the ecumenical movement hadn't taken off, but he had the courage of conviction. He was extremely well informed and had an amazing personal library. I was very impressed with his concern for discipline in any organisation, be it the academic world or the diocese, even at the cost of being misunderstood. Later the individual/organisation invariably realised he was right and it worked out well for them.
Cheerful and courageous
Married to Rachel Gnanamani, B.A.L.T., the couple was blessed with four children, three girls and one boy. Paul Chellappa is a practising psychiatrist in New York, says sister Elizabeth Jeyaraj who resides in T. Nagar. Vasantha, Monica and Anna are the other three sisters of whom Monica passed away in 1994. Their mother too is no more. Bishop Chellappa who was consecrated in 1955 as a Bishop died at the age of 59. In the words of the Moderator of the CSI, the Most Rev. Arnold Legg, who conducted the funeral service, "Bishop David Chellappa was, indeed, a great and good man". His brother E. S. Chellappa of Madurai says, "During the last five years of his life as Bishop, when he was afflicted with a weak heart, was physically very weak and often in pain. But he still carried on cheerfully and courageously. His sharp wit and humour were evident most when his suffering was greatest."
February 15 is his birth centenary and the Madras Diocese has planned a special service at St. George's Cathedral, at 8 a.m. A public meeting will be held the same evening in the premises. On the occasion. a biography of the Bishop by Rev P. M. Gnanadurai of the CSI church at Padi, will be released.
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