Chilkuri Vasantha Rao (born 22 December 1962) is an Indian Theologian.
In 2009, the Board of Governors of the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College, resolved to appoint him as Principal of the College for the term 2010-2014 representing the Church of South India.
Prof. Rao was Senior Visiting Scholar for 2008-2009 at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
History
Ch. Vasantha Rao was born to Smt. Chilkuri Vajramma and Sri Chilkuri Samuel. He completed schooling at Saint Patrick's High School, Secunderabad by 1978 and joined the Andhra Vidyalaya College, Hyderabad for pre-university studies. For graduate studies, he enrolled at the Nizam College, Hyderabad and pursued a degree in Commerce. By 1983, he was awarded a B.Com. by the Osmania University.
Vasantha Rao was inclined to pursue the priestly vocation and was admitted as a ministerial candidate in the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India in Tonigandla Village under the Ramayampet Pastorate of the diocese under the able supervision of Rev. B. C. Devavaram. During the academic year 1984-1985, the Diocese of Medak sent Vasantha Rao to the United Theological College, Bengaluru then headed by the Biblical Scholar E. C. John. By the year 1988, Vasantha Rao obtained a B. D. from the College and was also awarded the Senators Prize for Autonomous Colleges under the for the highest proficiency in the B. D. examinations of 1988. The then President of the Senate, Dr. Jacob Verghis handed over the prize in the convocation of 1989.
Rao was then assigned a ministerial role in his Diocese. He was posted to Mandamarri-Ramakrishnapur pastorate near Mancherial in Adilabad district and served there until 1990. Thereafter, he was transferred to Bellampalli Pastorate of the Diocese of Medak in Adilabad district.
With interest to pursue higher studies in theology, the Diocese of Medak sent him again to the United Theological College, Bengaluru in the year 1993 for post-graduate studies . His supervisor there was James Vijayakumar, then Lecturer of Old Testament at the seminary in Bengaluru. In the year 1995, Vasantha Rao obtained an M. Th. in the discipline of Old Testament and returned to his Diocese which posted him to Nizamabad district for pastoral work.
In the year 1996, the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad invited Vasantha Rao to be on its faculty. The Diocese of Medak then under the leadership of Bishop B. P. Sugandhar loaned his services to the Andhra Christian Theological College which was then headed by R. Yesurathnam.
Contribution
Translation
Vasantha Rao, as a Pastor while in Bellampalli, was on the 30-member specialists panel of the Telugu Old Testament Common Language Translation of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary headed by the Old Testament Scholar Victor Premasagar.
Indigenization
Pastor Vasantha Rao's thesis submitted to the in 1988 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the B. D. degree was entitled "A phenomenological study of the role of Edu-Payala Jathara in the religious life of its participants and its impact on the Christhu-Punaruddhana Jathara of Medak Diocese of Church of South India". The thesis was undertaken under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Eric J. Lott, then Professor of Religions at the United Theological College, Bengaluru. The methods of inculturation learnt from his Professor kept Vasantha Rao going. As a Pastor, he adopted indigenous methods in worship practices including bhajan and Dalit drums. Although the Diocese of Medak was predominantly British Wesleyan, Vasantha Rao carried on with indigenization wherever he served as Presbyter.
Teacher
Old Testament forms part of the core subjects in any seminary or theological faculty of a University. Vasantha Rao chose Old Testament at the post-graduate level at the seminary in Bengaluru and studied Old Testament under learned Professors including Theodore N. Swanson, Gnana Robinson, James Vijayakumar and D. Jones Muthunayagom. From the academic year 1996-1997 onwards, he began teaching at the Serampore-affiliated Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad.
Leadership
Vasantha Rao is on the Working and Academic Committees of the Henry Martyn Institute International Centre for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, Hyderabad. He also is a member of the Management Board of Sattal Christian Ashram established in 1930 by E. Stanley Jones in Uttaranchal.
In December 2008, Rao was elected to the Executive Committee of the Society for Biblical Studies in India at its biennium held in Thiruvananthapuram.
Environmental preservation
Vasantha Rao's post-graduate thesis was on preservation and continuation of life and species on planet Earth which was later published in 1996 in which the Biblical Scholar Victor Premasagar wrote the foreword:
In 2009, the Board of Governors of the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College, resolved to appoint him as Principal of the College for the term 2010-2014 representing the Church of South India.
Prof. Rao was Senior Visiting Scholar for 2008-2009 at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
History
Ch. Vasantha Rao was born to Smt. Chilkuri Vajramma and Sri Chilkuri Samuel. He completed schooling at Saint Patrick's High School, Secunderabad by 1978 and joined the Andhra Vidyalaya College, Hyderabad for pre-university studies. For graduate studies, he enrolled at the Nizam College, Hyderabad and pursued a degree in Commerce. By 1983, he was awarded a B.Com. by the Osmania University.
Vasantha Rao was inclined to pursue the priestly vocation and was admitted as a ministerial candidate in the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India in Tonigandla Village under the Ramayampet Pastorate of the diocese under the able supervision of Rev. B. C. Devavaram. During the academic year 1984-1985, the Diocese of Medak sent Vasantha Rao to the United Theological College, Bengaluru then headed by the Biblical Scholar E. C. John. By the year 1988, Vasantha Rao obtained a B. D. from the College and was also awarded the Senators Prize for Autonomous Colleges under the for the highest proficiency in the B. D. examinations of 1988. The then President of the Senate, Dr. Jacob Verghis handed over the prize in the convocation of 1989.
Rao was then assigned a ministerial role in his Diocese. He was posted to Mandamarri-Ramakrishnapur pastorate near Mancherial in Adilabad district and served there until 1990. Thereafter, he was transferred to Bellampalli Pastorate of the Diocese of Medak in Adilabad district.
With interest to pursue higher studies in theology, the Diocese of Medak sent him again to the United Theological College, Bengaluru in the year 1993 for post-graduate studies . His supervisor there was James Vijayakumar, then Lecturer of Old Testament at the seminary in Bengaluru. In the year 1995, Vasantha Rao obtained an M. Th. in the discipline of Old Testament and returned to his Diocese which posted him to Nizamabad district for pastoral work.
In the year 1996, the ecumenical Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad invited Vasantha Rao to be on its faculty. The Diocese of Medak then under the leadership of Bishop B. P. Sugandhar loaned his services to the Andhra Christian Theological College which was then headed by R. Yesurathnam.
Contribution
Translation
Vasantha Rao, as a Pastor while in Bellampalli, was on the 30-member specialists panel of the Telugu Old Testament Common Language Translation of the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary headed by the Old Testament Scholar Victor Premasagar.
Indigenization
Pastor Vasantha Rao's thesis submitted to the in 1988 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the B. D. degree was entitled "A phenomenological study of the role of Edu-Payala Jathara in the religious life of its participants and its impact on the Christhu-Punaruddhana Jathara of Medak Diocese of Church of South India". The thesis was undertaken under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Eric J. Lott, then Professor of Religions at the United Theological College, Bengaluru. The methods of inculturation learnt from his Professor kept Vasantha Rao going. As a Pastor, he adopted indigenous methods in worship practices including bhajan and Dalit drums. Although the Diocese of Medak was predominantly British Wesleyan, Vasantha Rao carried on with indigenization wherever he served as Presbyter.
Teacher
Old Testament forms part of the core subjects in any seminary or theological faculty of a University. Vasantha Rao chose Old Testament at the post-graduate level at the seminary in Bengaluru and studied Old Testament under learned Professors including Theodore N. Swanson, Gnana Robinson, James Vijayakumar and D. Jones Muthunayagom. From the academic year 1996-1997 onwards, he began teaching at the Serampore-affiliated Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad.
Leadership
Vasantha Rao is on the Working and Academic Committees of the Henry Martyn Institute International Centre for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, Hyderabad. He also is a member of the Management Board of Sattal Christian Ashram established in 1930 by E. Stanley Jones in Uttaranchal.
In December 2008, Rao was elected to the Executive Committee of the Society for Biblical Studies in India at its biennium held in Thiruvananthapuram.
Environmental preservation
Vasantha Rao's post-graduate thesis was on preservation and continuation of life and species on planet Earth which was later published in 1996 in which the Biblical Scholar Victor Premasagar wrote the foreword:
The Parselmouths are an indie rock and wizard rock band formed in Renton, Washington in 2004 by Kristina Horner and Brittany Vahlberg. The band was inspired by the J. K. Rowling book series Harry Potter. The Parselmouths' music is comical folk rock with the Harry Potter books inspiring the lyrics, but in a different way to bands such as Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys, for they have created their own characters from the Harry Potter universe.
Since the band's formation in 2004, they have released three full-length studio albums (one of which is exclusively available on iTunes), one extended play release and collaborated in five compilation albums. MTV has ranked The Parselmouths the third best wizard rock band of 2007, and they were interviewed by MTV in 2007.
History
Formation
They started The Parselmouths back in 2004 when they attended their first Harry and the Potters concert at the University Bookstore in Seattle, WA. Both being big Harry Potter fans and musicians, the two girls decided to try their hand at wizard rock from the perspective of Slytherin girls.
:"The premise of the band was to create and portray very real Slytherin girls because to them, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode are very two dimensional, and Kristina and Brittany wanted to try to give depth to a house that is usually slammed for just being a bunch of spoiled rich kids. They have put themselves into the Harry Potter world as silly, boycrazy, mean Slytherin girls, but the Parselmouths hope that you’ll see the deeper message in a lot of their songs. Just as Draco showed his weakness in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Kristina and Brittany of the Parselmouths try to show that Slytherins aren't all just evil."
2008: Expansion
In early 2008, it was announced that Brittany was getting engaged to be married, and she announced she would be leaving the band for a while after her wedding. In the same announcement, Kristina and Brittany announced the addition of 2 new band members: Eia Waltzer and Nick Horner. Eia has been recording with Kristina and Brittany ever since, and on the third album, Pretty in Pink (and Green), there's even a song dedicated to her. She sings backups and does keyboard in the majority of the songs on Pretty in Pink (and Green).
Nick is Kristina's younger brother and he took over the part of drummer after the previous drummer, John Platter left in late 2007 after their summer tour. Nick didn't officially take over the part until May, when he was listed as drummer on their MySpace page. He also was the drummer for Pretty in Pink (and Green), although unlike Eia, he was NOT featured on the cover of the album.
Since Brittany's hiatus, the guitar on new songs has been done by Lauren Fairweather of the wizard rock band the Moaning Myrtles.
Brittany's Departure
In a video blog on her YouTube channel, fiveawesomegirls, Kristina announced that Brittany has decided to leave the band. This was also mentioned on Brittany's twitter page. On the band's official myspace, Kristina posted saying, "Nothing about it was malicious or the product of anything other than her being married and too busy to keep traveling all over the country with me to play shows." Alex Day (known as 'Nerimon' on YouTube and known as Kristina's now ex-boyfriend) has since been playing guitar for the band at live shows, as well as singing backing vocals on three of the tracks on The Parselmouth's upcoming album. However, since Alex ended his relationship with Kristina in August 2009, there has been a great distance between the pair, it is therefore unlikely that Alex will have future involvement with The Parselmouths, least of all due to issues of practicality - Alex played a role in the band whilst visiting Kristina in the USA but he actually lives in England, which could make regular concerts perhaps more difficult for him to attend than the recently married Brittany.
Members
Kristina Horner, 21 (Lead vocals, bass, flute)
Eia Waltzer, 21 (Backup vocals, keyboard)
Past Members
Nick Horner, 15 (Drums) 2008
John Platter, 18 (Drums) 2006-2007
Brittany Vahlberg, 21 (Guitar, backup vocals, violin) 2004-2009
Discography
Studio albums
* Sssss (2006)
* Pretty in Pink (and Green) (2008)
* Spattergroit (2009)
Extended Plays
* Illegal Love Potion (2007)
Collaborations
*"Snape vs. Snape" (with Ministry of Magic)
*"Durmstrang Boy" (with Alex "Nerimon" Day of the Trock band "Chameleon Circuit")
Awards
*The 2007 Wizrocklopedia People's Choice Award for Best Folk.
*MTV's 3rd best wizard rock band of 2007.
Since the band's formation in 2004, they have released three full-length studio albums (one of which is exclusively available on iTunes), one extended play release and collaborated in five compilation albums. MTV has ranked The Parselmouths the third best wizard rock band of 2007, and they were interviewed by MTV in 2007.
History
Formation
They started The Parselmouths back in 2004 when they attended their first Harry and the Potters concert at the University Bookstore in Seattle, WA. Both being big Harry Potter fans and musicians, the two girls decided to try their hand at wizard rock from the perspective of Slytherin girls.
:"The premise of the band was to create and portray very real Slytherin girls because to them, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode are very two dimensional, and Kristina and Brittany wanted to try to give depth to a house that is usually slammed for just being a bunch of spoiled rich kids. They have put themselves into the Harry Potter world as silly, boycrazy, mean Slytherin girls, but the Parselmouths hope that you’ll see the deeper message in a lot of their songs. Just as Draco showed his weakness in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Kristina and Brittany of the Parselmouths try to show that Slytherins aren't all just evil."
2008: Expansion
In early 2008, it was announced that Brittany was getting engaged to be married, and she announced she would be leaving the band for a while after her wedding. In the same announcement, Kristina and Brittany announced the addition of 2 new band members: Eia Waltzer and Nick Horner. Eia has been recording with Kristina and Brittany ever since, and on the third album, Pretty in Pink (and Green), there's even a song dedicated to her. She sings backups and does keyboard in the majority of the songs on Pretty in Pink (and Green).
Nick is Kristina's younger brother and he took over the part of drummer after the previous drummer, John Platter left in late 2007 after their summer tour. Nick didn't officially take over the part until May, when he was listed as drummer on their MySpace page. He also was the drummer for Pretty in Pink (and Green), although unlike Eia, he was NOT featured on the cover of the album.
Since Brittany's hiatus, the guitar on new songs has been done by Lauren Fairweather of the wizard rock band the Moaning Myrtles.
Brittany's Departure
In a video blog on her YouTube channel, fiveawesomegirls, Kristina announced that Brittany has decided to leave the band. This was also mentioned on Brittany's twitter page. On the band's official myspace, Kristina posted saying, "Nothing about it was malicious or the product of anything other than her being married and too busy to keep traveling all over the country with me to play shows." Alex Day (known as 'Nerimon' on YouTube and known as Kristina's now ex-boyfriend) has since been playing guitar for the band at live shows, as well as singing backing vocals on three of the tracks on The Parselmouth's upcoming album. However, since Alex ended his relationship with Kristina in August 2009, there has been a great distance between the pair, it is therefore unlikely that Alex will have future involvement with The Parselmouths, least of all due to issues of practicality - Alex played a role in the band whilst visiting Kristina in the USA but he actually lives in England, which could make regular concerts perhaps more difficult for him to attend than the recently married Brittany.
Members
Kristina Horner, 21 (Lead vocals, bass, flute)
Eia Waltzer, 21 (Backup vocals, keyboard)
Past Members
Nick Horner, 15 (Drums) 2008
John Platter, 18 (Drums) 2006-2007
Brittany Vahlberg, 21 (Guitar, backup vocals, violin) 2004-2009
Discography
Studio albums
* Sssss (2006)
* Pretty in Pink (and Green) (2008)
* Spattergroit (2009)
Extended Plays
* Illegal Love Potion (2007)
Collaborations
*"Snape vs. Snape" (with Ministry of Magic)
*"Durmstrang Boy" (with Alex "Nerimon" Day of the Trock band "Chameleon Circuit")
Awards
*The 2007 Wizrocklopedia People's Choice Award for Best Folk.
*MTV's 3rd best wizard rock band of 2007.
Yiddish is the Yiddish language version of . It was founded in March 3, 2004, and the first article was written November 28 of that year.
Current status
As of January 2010 the Yiddish has over 7,000 articles. There are 6431 registered users (including bots) but only 49 are active.
Like all s it generates hits from Yiddish words typed in Google, with articles on top of the results for that word.
In accordance with the norms for the Yiddish language, it is written almost exclusively in Hebrew script, and not in Latin script.
Milestones
The Yiddish reached 6000 articles on March 8, 2009. The 6000th article is , a rabbi. The 7000th article is , a tanna, started by on 24 December 2009.
Point of view
Combined, the different Hasidic groups form the largest Yiddish-speaking community in the world today. The most new articles are about religious Hasidic Rabbis.
Current status
As of January 2010 the Yiddish has over 7,000 articles. There are 6431 registered users (including bots) but only 49 are active.
Like all s it generates hits from Yiddish words typed in Google, with articles on top of the results for that word.
In accordance with the norms for the Yiddish language, it is written almost exclusively in Hebrew script, and not in Latin script.
Milestones
The Yiddish reached 6000 articles on March 8, 2009. The 6000th article is , a rabbi. The 7000th article is , a tanna, started by on 24 December 2009.
Point of view
Combined, the different Hasidic groups form the largest Yiddish-speaking community in the world today. The most new articles are about religious Hasidic Rabbis.
A Holligan is a member of the 17th February 2010 Guardian Rumour Mill who contributed to place the blog on the front page of the Guardian Unlimited News website for having the largest number of entries of that day. The final count for the blog was 1340 comments.