▁the ▁Old ▁Testament ▁Sch ol ars ▁Victor ▁Prem as agar , ▁C SI ▁and ▁G . ▁Bab u ▁R ao , ▁C BC NC . ▁ ▁The ▁And h ra ▁Christian ▁The ological ▁College ▁where ▁Pr as ada ▁R ao ▁studied ▁is ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁Ser amp ore ▁College ▁( Univers ity ), ▁India ' s ▁first ▁{ a ▁University ▁under ▁Section ▁ 2 ▁( f ) ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁Gr ants ▁Commission ▁Act , ▁ 1 9 5 6 } ▁with ▁degree - gr ant ing ▁authority ▁valid ated ▁by ▁a ▁Dan ish ▁Char ter ▁and ▁rat ified ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁West ▁Beng al . ▁ ▁Pr as ada ▁R ao ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁degree ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁during ▁the ▁Reg istr ar ship ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Testament ▁Sch olar , ▁D . ▁S . ▁Sat yar an jan . ▁ ▁Ministry ▁and ▁Bishop ric ▁Ever ▁since ▁his ▁ord ination ▁as ▁a ▁De acon ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁a ▁Past or ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁by ▁then ▁Bishop ▁G . ▁S . ▁Luke , ▁Pr as ada ▁R ao ▁began ▁minister ing ▁par ishes ▁in ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁D orn ak al . ▁ ▁After ▁nearly ▁thirty ▁years ▁of ▁past oral ▁min istry , ▁Pr as ada ▁R ao ▁cont ested ▁for ▁the ▁bishop ric ▁during ▁the ▁sede ▁vac ante ▁caused ▁on ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁B .