built Wilson College, Mumbai. Culture There are similarities of customs and culture between Hindus and Marathi Christians, such as dress, food, and cuisine. The Hindu custom of wearing saree, mangalsutra, and bindis is still prominent among native Christians. Marathi Christians highly retain their Marathi culture, and they have kept their Pre-Christian surnames. In Maharashtra, the great Marathi poet Narayan Wamanrao Tilak realised that a Hindu–Christian synthesis was simply not possible, unless the Christian religion had deep roots in the Indian culture. He trained the Marathi Christians to worship and sing bhajan and kirtan. He showed Christian faith in a genuinely Indian way. List of denominations Assemblies of God Catholic Church in India St Thomas Christians Church of North India Christian Congregation in India The Pentecostal Mission Greater Grace World Outreach- Indian Missions Hindustani Covenant Church Methodist Church in India Indian Evangelical Team International Christian Fellowship Separate Baptists in Christ New Life Fellowship Association Christian Revival Church Free Methodist Church Notable Marathi Christians Chandu Borde, a former cricket player from the Pune district. He played for the Indian cricket team in 83 matches between 1958 and 1969. His younger brother Ramesh was also a noteworthy cricket player. Vijay Hazare, a cricket player from the Solapur district. He captained the Indian cricket team in fourteen matches between 1951 and 1953. He also captained Baroda, with whom he won the Ranji Trophy in 1959. Hazare is considered by many to be one of the best middle-order bats to play for India. Shahu Modak, a Marathi/Hindi movie actor from Ahmednagar. He primarily acted as Lord Krishna in 29 mythological films. Baba Padmanji, a Brahmin and a Christian convert. An author of over 100 books, his Yamunaparyatan is considered the first novel of Marathi literature. Pandita Ramabai (1858–1922) – a social reformer, activist, Sanskrit scholar and evangelist. She was born a Brahmin and later converted to Christianity. Lakshmibai Tilak (1868–1936) – wife of Narayan Wamanrao Tilak, was a writer who received recognition for her autobiography Smruti Chitre (स्मृतिचित्रे). When her husband died in the process of writing Khristayana (क्रिस्तायन), a Marathi epic about the life of Jesus, she completed it, adding 64 chapters of her own. Narayan Wamanrao Tilak (1861–1919) – Marathi poet born in Maharashtra as a Brahmin. He converted to Christianity, and later wrote many Christian songs and bhajans in Marathi. He edited the American Marathi mission magazine Dnyanodaya for many years. He