Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
The word of God in the hands of the common people made an impact and a surge of revival and
reformation took place. This was accelerated by the presence of the British Missionaries. Among those
was Dr. Hermen Gundort (Bassel Mission) who studied Malayalam and wrote the first grammar book for
Malayalam.
The effect of dissociation with the Syrian Churches by the mission had far greater impact on the
Evangelization of India and in particular Kerala than it would have been if the association continued.
Dr. Hermen Gundort
He came to Kerala as a private tutor in 1836. He was appointed School Inspector of Kanara and Malabar by the
British colonial administration in 1857. Joining as a missionary with the Basel Mission in 1838, Gundert worked in
Kerala for 23 years. Gundert lived in Tellicherry, now named Thalassery
The European Missionaries opened up several Missions fields. They Included:
• the Danish Mission in Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Berthealonmese Segan Balgue;
• Baptist Mission in Calcutta under the leadership of William Carey (who started the Serampore
University);
• London Mission Society (LMS) under the leadership of Tingle Tob in Trivandrum area, Tamil
Nadu; and Bengal;
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