Team News Riveting
Raipur, June 25
Sushma Kumar has been elected as the new Bishop of Chhattisgarh Diocese; scripting history as the first female and Chhattisgarhi Bishop of the Diocese.
The election took place on Monday at the Synod headquarters of the Church of North India in Delhi. Delegates from the Synod and Chhattisgarh Diocese selected her.
Kumar has previously served as a servant, deacon, and priest in Bhatapara, Tilda, and Mahasamund. The consecration ceremony for the new Bishop will take place on June 25 at the chapel of the Synod headquarters on 16 Pandit Pant Marg, Delhi. On June 29, there will be a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the capital where she will assume her duties.
Bishop Kumar has also been the vice-president of Chhattisgarh Diocese and has served on several important committees. She hails from Mahasamund. Present at the election were Nitin Lawrence, Secretary of Chhattisgarh Diocese, Treasurer Jaydeep Robinson, and other clergy members. Until now, Bishop S.K. Nanda had been serving as the caretaker Bishop of Chhattisgarh Diocese.
The selection process for the new Bishop began about a month and a half ago. B.K. Nayak, Moderator of the Synod, was the presiding officer for the election. Spokesperson John Rajesh Paul mentioned that a search committee was also formed for this purpose. Three senior priests – Sushma Kumar from Tilda, Pranay Toppo from Ambikapur, and Shailesh Salomon from Bilaspur – submitted their nomination forms and were deemed eligible by the search committee.
The final list of candidates was announced on May 24, and voting took place over the subsequent month. Candidates underwent a fitness test and medical check-up at a designated CNI hospital. They also faced interviews to assess their capability for spiritual service and administrative guidance of the Diocese.
This time, only three priests from Chhattisgarh applied for the position, although any eligible senior priest from the CNI across the country could have applied. Voting was conducted by 20 selected delegates from across the country.
