Y. D. Tiwari
Encyclopedia
Yisu Das Tiwari was an Indian theologian and a leading participant in Hindu
-Christian
dialogue.
He was a Scholar in Sanskrit
, Hindi
and Greek
. The Bible Society of India
entrusted him with revision of the Hindi Bible (New Testament
) into a contemporary version.
in 1911 to Smt. Rajkunwar and Pandit Hari Govind Tiwari. As a growing youth, Tiwari was influenced by Swami Dayananda Saraswati
, founder of the Arya Samaj
and Swami Rama Tirtha
.
It was during his college days, that he came under the influence of Canon Holland, E. Stanley Jones
, C. F. Andrews and others. After a reading of the Gospel according to Saint John, he took keen interest in the studies of the Bible and devotional writings of Christian mystics. Jesus Christ became his Ishta deva. However, his new found faith did not go well with his family members who sent him for internment to a mental asylum.
Tiwari however became a Christian
and chose to be baptised in January 1935 under the aegis of the Baptist Missionary Society
.
He later joined the History-Maker Gandhiji's Ashram in Wardha
and began to follow Gandhiji's teachings. He swore to uphold Satya
and began to wear khadi
clothes.
Simultaneously, Tiwari began growing in his new-found faith in Lord Jesus Christ and chose to become a Priest
. He was ordained by the Baptist Missionary Society
.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, the Bible Society of India took upon the task of translating the existing versions of the Bible into contemporary versions. As early as 1956, the Hindi Common Language Translation Panel headed by Y. D. Tiwari came out with the Gospel according to Mark. In due course of time, the other books of the New Testament were also translated from the original Greek
into Hindi.
Translations (year-wise)
Tiwari began his career as a Teacher in Schools- Mission School, Kotgarh, Shimla, and Baptist Mission School, Agra, where he was the Head Master, before finally stepping onto the portals of Seminaries. He first taught at the North India United Theological College in Bareilly
, Uttar Pradesh
before he moved to the famed Serampore College, Serampore
, West Bengal
. He was Lecturer in Sanskrit and Philosophy of Religions at the Serampore College from 1963 to 1972. Notable among his students were D. S. Satyaranjan
, Paulose Mar Paulose, G. Babu Rao and others.
Rev. Tiwari later taught at the Bishop's College, Kolkata
from the academic year 1972-1973 onwards.
during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Baptist World Alliance
.
in West Bengal
conferred upon him a Doctor of Divinity
, honoris causa in the year 1995.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
dialogue.
He was a Scholar in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
. The Bible Society of India
Bible Society of India
The Bible Society of India is a Christian body that is authorized to translate, produce, distribute and market the Holy Bible. The Central Office of the BSI is located in Bangalore city in the state of Karnataka in South India.-Auxiliaries:...
entrusted him with revision of the Hindi Bible (New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
) into a contemporary version.
History
Yisu Das Tiwari was born Badri Prasad Tiwari into a Vaishnavite family in AgraAgra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
in 1911 to Smt. Rajkunwar and Pandit Hari Govind Tiwari. As a growing youth, Tiwari was influenced by Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati was an important Hindu religious scholar, reformer, and founder of the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. He was the first to give the call for Swarajya – "India for Indians" – in 1876, later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak...
, founder of the Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
and Swami Rama Tirtha
Swami Rama Tirtha
Swami Ram Tirth , also known as Swami Ram, was an Indian teacher of the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. He was among the first notable teachers of Hinduism to lecture in the United States, traveling there in 1902. He was preceded by Swami Vivekananda in 1893, and followed by Paramahansa Yogananda in...
.
It was during his college days, that he came under the influence of Canon Holland, E. Stanley Jones
E. Stanley Jones
E. Stanley Jones was a 20th century Methodist Christian missionary and theologian.He is remembered chiefly for his interreligious lectures to the educated classes in India, thousands of which were held across the Indian subcontinent during the first decades of the 20th century...
, C. F. Andrews and others. After a reading of the Gospel according to Saint John, he took keen interest in the studies of the Bible and devotional writings of Christian mystics. Jesus Christ became his Ishta deva. However, his new found faith did not go well with his family members who sent him for internment to a mental asylum.
Tiwari however became a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and chose to be baptised in January 1935 under the aegis of the Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Missionary Society
rightBMS World Mission is a Christian missionary society founded by Baptists from England in 1792. It was originally called the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen, but for most of its life was known as the Baptist Missionary Society...
.
He later joined the History-Maker Gandhiji's Ashram in Wardha
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Wardha district. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows at the North, West and South boundaries of district. Founded in 1866, the town is now an...
and began to follow Gandhiji's teachings. He swore to uphold Satya
Satya
Satya is a Sanskrit word that loosely translates into English as "truth" or "correct". It is a term of power due to its purity and meaning and has become the emblem of many peaceful social movements, particularly those centered on social justice, environmentalism and vegetarianism.Sathya is also...
and began to wear khadi
Khadi
The term khādī or khaddar means cotton. khādī is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool in the summer and warm in the winter...
clothes.
Simultaneously, Tiwari began growing in his new-found faith in Lord Jesus Christ and chose to become a Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. He was ordained by the Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Missionary Society
rightBMS World Mission is a Christian missionary society founded by Baptists from England in 1792. It was originally called the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen, but for most of its life was known as the Baptist Missionary Society...
.
Translation of Scriptures
It was William Carey who first brought out the Hindi BibleIn the latter half of the twentieth century, the Bible Society of India took upon the task of translating the existing versions of the Bible into contemporary versions. As early as 1956, the Hindi Common Language Translation Panel headed by Y. D. Tiwari came out with the Gospel according to Mark. In due course of time, the other books of the New Testament were also translated from the original Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
into Hindi.
Translations (year-wise)
- 1956, Gospel according to Mark in Hindi. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=LCfiGwAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari
- 1958, Epistle to the Philippians in Hindi.http://books.google.co.in/books?id=2lwiGwAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari&lr=
- 1959, Gospel according to John in Hindi.http://books.google.co.in/books?id=5JJzGwAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari&lr=
- 1961, Gospel according to St John in Hindi.http://books.google.co.in/books?id=SF_pGwAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari and The Gospels and Acts. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=5NAiOgAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari&lr=.
- 1962, Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles in Hindi. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=tJksHQAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari
- 1967, New Testament in Hindi.http://books.google.co.in/books?id=M0VSHQAACAAJ&dq=yisu+das+tiwari
Teaching
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
before he moved to the famed Serampore College, Serampore
Serampore
Serampore is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hoogli River...
, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. He was Lecturer in Sanskrit and Philosophy of Religions at the Serampore College from 1963 to 1972. Notable among his students were D. S. Satyaranjan
D. S. Satyaranjan
D. S. Satyaranjan is a Pastor, a New Testament Scholar, and an Administrator.-Early life and education:Satyaranjan was born on January 19, 1939 in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India...
, Paulose Mar Paulose, G. Babu Rao and others.
Rev. Tiwari later taught at the Bishop's College, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
from the academic year 1972-1973 onwards.
Appraisal
- K. V. MathewK. V. MathewKuzhivelil Varkey Mathew is a biblical scholar and a member of the Society for Biblical Studies in India. -Schooling & Collegiate Studies:Kuzhuvelil Varkey Mathew was born on 2 November 1931 in Keezhuvaipur in Kerala to Rachel and K. T. Varkey...
, Ph. D. (EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
), Professor of Old Testament, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, KottayamKottayamKottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
:
- K. P. Aleaz, D. Th. (SATHRI), Professor of Religions, Bishop's College, Kolkata:
Baptist World Alliance
In the year 1955, Tiwari gave a talk on "We Preach Christ the Crucified Saviour" in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Baptist World Alliance
Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organizations, formed in 1905 at Exeter Hall in London during the first Baptist World Congress.-History:...
.
Senate of Serampore College (University)
India's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University)Senate of Serampore College (University)
The Senate of Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India.Serampore was granted the status of university in 1829, making it India's first institution to have the status of a university....
in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
conferred upon him a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, honoris causa in the year 1995.
See also
- Rev. Dr. B. V. Subbamma
- Rev. Fr. Dr. D. S. AmalorpavadassD. S. AmalorpavadassDuraiswami Simon Amalorpavadass was a third-world theologian who played a vital role in the renewal of life and mission of the Roman Catholic Church in India, particularly after Vatican II...
- Bishop Victor PremasagarVictor PremasagarVictor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar. He also became Moderator of the Church of South India.-Early years:...