The First Indian Bishop of the C.S.I. Diocese of Madras, Rt.Rev.Dr. David Chellappa. Part. C.

Introduction:  Generally the Time determines the role  and  destiny of individuals and at times some  rare and remarkable personalities design and decide an impact on the direction, role, and chapters of time,  and Rt. Rev Dr David Chellappa belonged to the second category of rare personalities.   The Great Shakespeare said," some are born  great  and some achieve greatness", but in the case of Rev Dr. David Chellappa he was not only  born great and also achieved greatness ; yet he was reasonably modest that was his unique greatness.  In this Article,   I will the deal with Rev. Dr. David Chellappa's ancestors and their  historical link with the famous Danish Missionary  Rev Schwartz and King Sarafoji II . And also I will deal with Bishop David Chellappa's remarkable role as the first Indian  Principal of St Paul's  High School , Vepery,Madras and as the  first  Indian Pastor of St Thomas English Church, Madras .
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Rt.Rev Dr David Chellappa's Ancestors and Sarafoji Raja II : Rt Rev.Dr. David Chellappa's mother Ms.Elizabeth Daniel Chellappa hailed from one of the illustrious and distinguished families of Tanjore and South India . .Mrs Elizabeth Daniel Chellappa  was a daughter of Munsif A. David Pillay, who served as the Legal Adviser to King Sarafoji Maharaja of Tanjore.  Munsiff David was a great grandson of Mr.Malayperuman of Tanjore  who was led to Christ by the great and devoted Danish  Missionary Rev Schwarts.. Munsif.David's daughter Ms. Elizabeth married Mr. Justice Daniel Chellappa.. And Mrs. Elizabeth David Chellappa christened  her first born son as David in remembrance of her father Munsif David. Munsif David grew up  with Sarafoji  Maharaja  in Tanjore   and later became Sarafoji Maha Raja's legal adviser.



                         [ Photo Courtesy Dr. Paul Chellappa, U.S.A  ]                                                                                                          

Dr.David Chellappa was the first Indian Principal of the St. Paul's High School Vepery,Madras:On his arrival from England in 1937  Dr David Chellappa was :appointed as  Principal of St. Paul's High School, Vepery, Madras : Dr. David Chellappa was the first Indian  Principal of the prestigious St. Paul's High School Vepery Madras, untill then only Oxford educated Europeans were working as Principals of St Paul's High School.Vepery, Madras. . No doubt it was a great honor for anybody to become a Principal of St Paul's High School, Vepery. In this context  it is pertinent  and useful to trace the concise history of  St Pauls High School.  St Pauls High School Vepery , Madras  was established as Malabar Charity School by the famous Danish Missionary Rev J.E. Grundler for the poor Tamil Children in Vepery,Madras in 1716., and this school later was called as Vepery English Grammar School . In this context to  it pertinent to mention  here that the great iconic English Commander Robert Clive lived in this School Compound  during his marriage. .The name of the School took many births and in 1912 this School was named as St. Paul's High School.. In 1978  this School was upgraded as Higher Secondary School and now this School is called, St Paul's Higher Secondary School. Dr. David Chellappa served as the Head Master of this historical School as its First Indian Head-Master for nearly twenty year from 1937 till he was elected and consecrated as the first Indian Bishop of the CSI Diocese of Madras in 1955.  Rev.Dr David was a convincing and efficacious teacher, and he loved all the students without any discrimination and   wisely and diplomatically enforced discipline among the students very effectively and took the fame and name of the School to great heights, And St Paul's High School became very famous and well sought after school in Madras under his  fabulous administration.

                                                  
         [ Rev. David Chellapa with Dr.AJBoy,  Principal , Madras Christian College, Tambaram],
[ St. Paul's Principal's House, Vepery., Madras, 1945, This Photo  was given by Dr Paul Chellappa, }

David was the first Indian Pastor of the famous St  Thomas English Church, San Thome, Madras: when Dr Chellappa was appointed as the Head-Master of St Paul's High School  in 1937, simultaneously  he was ordained as  Priest In-Charge of the historical St. Thomas English Church, Santhome, Madras .All of his predecessors were English men and Dr .David Chellappa was the first Indian clergy who was given the privilege to serve as Pastor of this prestigious St. Thomas English Church, Madras . As Dr David Chellappa was a good student of English Literature he was having a fluent  and fertile command over the English language, his sermons in English  were well appreciated  with awesome attention both by the Europeans and the Indians
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Rev. Dr.  David Chellappa was a prolific writer, great journalist and editor of journals: Because of his splendid and spectacular fluent command over English language, he was  made by the Bishop of Madras Diocese as Editor of the Madras Diocesan Magazine in 1946 . Rev David Chellappa also served as Editor of the famous magazine South India Churchman . Moreover Rev. Dr. David Chellappa had penned some thought provoking books in English namely ;[1] A  Tree On a Hill [Tamil], [2] Seven Words' [3] Against 7 Sins,  and  [4] Saints Speak ; in a lovely. lucid, literary language..

Conclusion :  Thus as a Head-Master  , Editor, Writer , Preacher , Pastor Dr. David Chelappa  had made lasting  and distinctive imprints in  the history of his time.  The Final Part  of this Article will succeed this article soon, and in the final Part I will deal with his  role as the first Indian Bishop of the CSI Diocese of Madras and a precise  evaluation  and review about his  remarkable life and accomplishments
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By. P. BABU MANOHARAN, M.A, [Rights reserved. This Article will be altered , enlarged , corrected later, if needed ].