Witnessing to Students: Efficacy of UESI in India

The significant feature about India is that it has "a wide variety of religious traditions." The Christian missions among these traditions face a great challenge. One of the observation in Indian missions is that the church has made a significant impact on Dalits and Tribals, but its impact on Hindu and the Muslim communities is insignificant.

The 'Union of Evangelical Students of India', popularly known as UESI, has been one of the prominent ministries contributing to this end. This book meticulously evaluates the modus operandi employed by this ministry for the attainment of this objective.

With a strong combination of academic as well as practical research, Author provides a wealth of information with regard to how to do effective students' ministry in India. It also reflects Author's wide experience, insights and passion for the work of evangelization. The book is meant to seek answers of some unanswered questions like: Why Christian missions in India had been stagnated among the Dalits and Tribals only? Why they are not able to succeed in witnessing the Gospel to upper caste Hindus and Muslims also?

This factual and figurative presentation is going to be a manual for all those who passionately follow the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ and want to share the Gospel not only to the large student population of India but also meaningfully to the South Asian individuals and communities with relevance and sensitivity so that they could undergo a spiritual rebirth and pave their way towards revealing the Divine.

Sri Potana Venkateswara Rao, who is known as Bhakta Potana, is basically from Andhra Pradesh. He did his graduation in English literature from Acharya Nagarjuna University and also earned Masters in Social Work from the same University. He is also MA in Religion & Philosophy from Madurai Kamaraj University. Apart from this academic education, he is dedicated for spiritual education. He did his Master of Divinity from GFA Seminary, Tiruvalla, Kerala. He also did his theological research program Master of Theology from Union Biblical Seminary, Pune. At present, he is doing his PhD Research with the University of Mysore through South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS). He lives in Bangalore with his wife Rita and three kids: Sophia, Lydia & Ashish Vidwan.

Bhakta has been teaching God's word to the university students in India. His three years (1993-1996) as a student leader and eleven years (2000-2011) as a full time staff, in association with Union of Evangelical Students of India (UESI) opened opportunities to impact college and university students of both South and North India. He is not only an academician but he is a man on the Mission field who is down to earth.

Why Christians are so much concerned for the needy and for the transformation of the individuals and society? This question had been in my mind from my college days.

When I went to the university education in 1993, I have seen the role models of Christian lecturers and other professionals who demonstrated their love for the needy students in the city of Tenali, Andhra Pradesh. My interaction with Christian community in that city opened my eyes which helped me to see the genuineness of love and sacrificial service in day to day life of Christians. I had a great desire to become a social activist who can stand for the cause of the poor and the marginalized sections of the society. Fortunately, I became a field staff of Union of Evangelical Students of India (UESI) in the year 2000. My fourteen years: three years (1993-1996) as a student leader and eleven years (2000-2011) as a full time staff, of UESI opened opportunities for me to serve college and university students of both South and North India. During this period, I had the opportunity to interact with several Christian mission agencies and NGOs that are working in different parts of the country. Some of the indigenous Christian mission agencies are actively involved in spiritual liberation and transformation of the societies. More than ever the post independent Indian Christians have been making a great impact on serving the society. My observations in the field and interaction with the people made me think on several questions.

Why Christian missions in India had been stagnated among the dalits and tribals? Why they are not able to succeed in witnessing the Gospel to high caste Hindus and Muslims? I started reading and reflecting on these questions.

As per the 2001 Census of India, population age 15-24 years accounts for 195 million of the 1,029 million of India's population. In other words, every fifth person in India belongs to the age group of 15- 24 years. These figures should compel Christians to get seriously involved in reaching this age group people as they are one of the most open, accessible and to a certain extent receptive group. The Union of Evangelical Students of India popularly known as UESI has been one of the prominent ministries that have hugely impacted the young student population of India. Potana Venkateswara Rao was a fruit of this ministry who was strategically used by God in Hyderabad and beyond to bring a number of students into the Kingdom of God.

This study reflects Potana's wide experience, insights and passion for students' ministry. Although academically oriented, it provides significant insights for effective student's ministry, especially among the upper castes Hindus and Muslims. With a strong combination of academic as well as practical research, Potana provides a wealth of information with regard to how to do effective students ministry in India. I have known him for a number of years, both as my student and teaching assistant, and I have observed his deep commitment for the cause of mission and evangelism in India. I heartily welcome this book and commend it to all who have passion to reach the student population of India.

**Contents and Sample Pages**