Foreword

Foreword Praise be to our Almighty Lord God. Purushottam Chowdhary, the Bard, Poet, Lyricist, Writer, Catechist, Pastor and Evangelist, is a familiar name for most of the Telugu speaking Christians all over the world since his Keertanalu are sung in all established Churches. He is known as "Andhra Kraistava Kavi Sarvabhoumudu" (Emperor of Telugu Christian Literature) and "Andhra Kraistava Kavita Pitamahudu" (Father of Telugu Christian Poetry). Several writers and historians, both Indian and English, have written the life histories of some Indian Christian servants of God. But almost all of them were ignorant of this famed Telugu Christian servants of God. So, many of the historians/readers are not aware of the works of the poet. This may be because this poet's life history was written in Telugu by his grandson, Babu John Chowdhary and was published in the year 1902. This book is available in the archives of the British Library in London. This 1902 edition was revised by the author and was published in 1933, the Centenary Year of the Poet's baptism. This revised version was reprinted several times, and the latest was published in 2015 by my cousin James Jayasheel Chowdhary. Earlier he has published all the works of the poetwriter in two volumes on the event of Bi-centenary celebrations of the poet in 2003-04. In the light of the foregoing brief content about the poet, I have ventured to get the life history of the poet-writer translated and published in English which could enable the historians and readers to know about the poet and his service to God facing many odds and hostile events in his life.

I express my sincere gratitude to Bro Job Sudarshan and his associates Mr Elia Tadikonda, Mr Praveen Dasari and Mr Prabhat Kumar Kaki, for their excellent translation and my heart-felt thanks to all those who have cooperated in publishing this work. With my loving greetings and to all readers. Dr. Sudhansu Kumar Chowdhary, M.B.B.S President Prasanna Memorial Baptist Church trust Jeypore, Orissa