North Orissa Region

By Gordon E. Christo

Gordon E. Christo, Ph.D. in Old Testament and Adventist Studies (Andrews University). Christo is retired and working on contract as assistant editor of the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists and assistant editor of the Seventh-day Adventist International Biblical-Theological Dictionary. He is currently setting up a heritage center for Southern Asia Division. Some of his research on Adventist history can be seen at https://sudheritage.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/SUDHeritage/.

First Published: February 4, 2025

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The North Orissa Region is a part of the East Central India Union Section in the Southern Asia Division. Its headquarters is in Sambalpur, Orissa, India.

Territory: The districts of Balangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Debagarh, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, and Sundargarh in the Indian state of Odisha.

Statistics (June 30, 2024): Churches, 24; membership, 3,888; population, 15,260,453

Early History

Adventism entered the northern region of Orissa through Bihar/Jharkhand. In Binjipali, colporteur A. S. Bazroy sold the book Toward a Better Day to Manmasih Barla, the secretary of the Lutheran Church. When Barla’s son passed away, he sought answers about what happens after death. Unable to find the answers in his Bible, he contacted Bazroy, whom he respected as a devout Christian. After extensive Bible study, which Bazroy shared with his brother Jaimasih and other relatives, ten people were baptized, and the Binjipali church was organized on February 26, 1946. Pastor Nowrangi conducted the baptisms and the Lord’s Supper.¹ The church building in Binjipali was dedicated on March 24-26, 1950, during the first annual meetings of the Orissa Mission, led by F.E. Spiess, the new Union president, with support from Pastor Borrowdale and Pastor O. W. Lange.²

On February 22, 1961, the Pahar Sirgira (Orissa) church was organized with nineteen members, most of whom were previously members of the Binjipali church.³

The Adventist work was opened in Rourkela by colporteur Panigrahi, who prepared sixteen people for baptism in December 1961. He then studied the Bible with fifteen other people, who were baptized before the end of 1963.⁴

James Topno was the first Adventist evangelist to work in Balangir in 1954.⁵ The work in Mayurbhanj began with an outreach in Damdarpur, led by B. Kisku and N. Murmu. Four families, totaling fifteen people, planned to be baptized, and three additional families expressed interest.⁶

Organizational History

When the Division was organized in 1920, the entire territory of Orissa was included in the Bihar Mission of the Northeast India Union. However, in 1970, when India’s four Unions were reorganized into three, Orissa was assigned to the Central India Union and placed within the Andhra Section (see North Andhra Section). In 1973, at the request of the Northern Union, the three northeastern districts of Orissa—Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, and Sundargarh—were separated from the Orissa territory. This decision was made because the work in these northern regions had been started by workers from the neighboring Bihar/Jharkhand area.

In 2001, the Central India Union acknowledged the growth of the Orissa Region and recommended upgrading its status to Orissa Section. This request was approved by the Southern Asia Division⁷ and implemented in 2003.⁸

Executive Officers

Directors: Ponuel Ponda (2003-2006); Sudhir Kumar Jena (2006-2009); Priyanath Gantayat (2009-2011); Undrasi S. Abraham (2011-2015); Madhusudan Nayak (2015-2018); Wilson John Dahanga (2018- )

Treasurers: P. LeRoy (2003-2006); Ramesh Mishal (2006-2010); I. D. Vikas (2010-2012); Appa Rao (2012-2013); Korni Rambabu (2013- )

Sources

“News Notes.” Southern Asia Tidings, April 1, 1961.

Burr, H. T. “A New Day in Orissa.” ARH, January 1, 1948.

Burr, H. T. “Orissa Awakens to God’s Call.” Southern Asia Tidings, June 1, 1954.

Burr, H. T. “Orissa’s First Annual Meeting.” Eastern Tidings, May 1, 1950.

Fanwar, B. W. “Bolangir Calls.” Southern Asia Tidings, December 1, 1963.

Fernando, R. S. “Baptisms in the Northeast.” Eastern Tidings, April 15, 1946.

Minutes of the Central India Union Committee, July 16, 17, 2001.

Minutes of the Southern Asia Division Executive Committee 2001, 2003.

Skau, O. A. “Into the Jungles of Bihar and Orissa, India.” ARH, August 29, 1946.

Williams, B. J. “Publishing Department Report.” Southern Asia Tidings, January 1964.

Notes

R. S. Fernando, Baptisms in the Northeast, Eastern Tidings, April 15, 1946, 3; A. T. Burr, “A New Day in Orissa,” ARH January 1, 1948, 18; O. A. Skau, “Into the Jungles of Bihar and Orissa, India,” ARH, August 29, 1946, 15.↩
H. T. Burr, “Orissa’s First Annual Meeting,” Eastern Tidings, May 1, 1950, 4.↩
“News Notes,” Southern Asia Tidings, April 1, 1961, 12.↩
B. J. Williams, Publishing Department Report, Southern Asia Tidings, January 1964, 15.↩
B. W. Fanwar, Bolangir Calls, Southern Asia Tidings, December1, 1963, 10.↩
H. T. Burr, “Orissa Awakens to God’s Call,” Southern Asia Tidings, June 1, 1954, 10.↩
“Orissa Section Formation,” Minutes of the Central India Union Committee, July 16, 17, 2001. Minutes of the Southern Asia Division Executive Committee, #2001-183, August 10, 2001,92.↩
“Formation of the North Orissa Region,” minutes of the Central India Union Committee (2003-28) and the minutes of the Division Executive Committee # 2003-85, May 20-22, 2003, 41.↩