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ATTWI
Association of Theologically Trained Women of India
Formation	February 20, 1979; 45 years ago
Founders	Ms. Shanti R. Solomon and Rev. Herbert E. Hoefer, LCMS
Founded at	Madras (Tamil Nadu)
Type	Nonprofit
Legal status	Registered Society
Purpose	Fostering theological empowerment of women
Professional title	The Association of Theologically Trained Women of India
Location	India;
Origins	Ordination of women in Christianity
Region served	India
Fields	North India North India 1; North India 2; ; Northeast India North East India 1; North East India 2; ; South India Andhra Pradesh; Karnataka; Kerala; Tamil Nadu; Telangana; ;
Membership	500+ (2024)
Official language	English
President	Ms. Jessica Richard
Vice President	Ms. Dakerlin Mukhim
Secretary	Rev. Sofia Christabel, CSI
Treasurer	Dr. Laila Vijayan, CSI
Affiliations	National Council of Churches in India, Nagpur (Maharashtra); Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore (West Bengal);
Website	https://attwi.in/

Presidents
1979 - Vanitha Nallathambi 1981 - Saroja Moses Sangha 1983 - Annamma K. K. George 1985 - Annamma K. K. George 1987 - Padmasani J. Gallup 1990 - Navamani Elia Peter 1992 - Navamani Elia Peter 1997 - Jessie Nesakumar 2002 - Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar 2006 - Nirmala Vasantha Kumar 2009 - Priscilla Reuben 2014 - Syamala Sukumar 2020 - Jyothi Sundar 2024 - Jessica Richard

The Association of Theologically Trained Women of India (ATTWI) is an association of Indian women theologians which was constituted in 1979 in Chennai.

It is an ecumenical organisation with more than 500 members.^[1]

History

In 1977, Shanti Solomon and D. Hoeffer, a German missionary pioneered a conference for theologically trained women in Chennai with a three-fold purpose:^[1]

to help the theologically trained women to explore ways and extend responsible participation in the total life and mission of the Church.
to focus the attention of Churches on the presence of theologically trained women among them and to recognise their potential.
to encourage theologically trained women to organise themselves into an all-India association to develop strategies for meeting their needs.

Another conference was organised in 1978 in Chennai. In 1979, an ad hoc committee^[1] was constituted to draft a constitution for forming an association. ATTWI became a reality in 1979.

Sessions, venue and topics

Session	Year	Venue	Topic^[1]
I	1979 (20–22 February)	Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)	Theologically Trained Women in India - Dare, Share and Act
II	1981 (3–6 February)	Jeevan Jyothi Retreat Centre, Hyderabad (Undivided Andhra Pradesh)	Theologically Trained Women of India - Called to Serve
III	1983 (26–30 May)	Queen Victoria Girls Inter College, Agra (Uttar Pradesh)	New Dimensions in the ministry
IV	1985 (17–20 January)	Charal Mount, Charalkunnu (Kerala)	Feminist Theology in the West and Indian Church's Response
V	1987 (26–30 September)	UMT College, Calcutta (West Bengal)	Christian Home - the Nursery for Christian Concepts
VI	1990 (8–11 February)	Animation Centre, Bishop's House, Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu)	New Dawn for Women
VII	1992 (23–26 October)	Mecosabagh Girls Hostel, Nagpur (Maharashtra)	Theology - A Faith Experience
VIII	1997 (21–24 January)	Operation Mobilisation Retreat Centre, Secunderabad (Undivided Andhra Pradesh)	Theology - Praxis
IX	2002 (31 October - 2 November)	Bosco Institute for Research and Development of Youth (BIRDY), Hyderabad (Undivided Andhra Pradesh)	Towards a new community - a violence free society
X	2006 (3–5 May)	Serampore College, Serampore (West Bengal)	Empowered by God - Women transcend barriers
XI	2009 (October)
XII	2014 (July)	Henry Martyn Institute, Hyderabad (Telangana)
XIII	2020 (January)	CSI Synod Centre, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
XIV	2024 (21-22 May)	CSI LITE Centre, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)	Reimaging our potential

Membership

Membership to ATTWI is presently restricted to those who hold a degree in theology offered by the Senate of Serampore College (University) or such other theological degrees recognised by the Senate.^[1]

Notable people

B. V. Subbamma, AELC (1925-2009)
Elizabeth Paul, CSI (1927-2001)
Navamani Elia Peter, MCI (1933-)
Lalitha Krupa Rao, CBCNC (1942-2013)
Marathakavalli David, CSI (1950-2011)
Graham Basanti, JELC (1950-)
R. L. Hnuni, BCM (1953-)
Pushpa Lalitha, CSI (1956-)
Rajula Annie Watson, CSI (1960-)
Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, ALC (1963-)

Appraisal

Wati A. Longchar, Consultant, World Council of Churches:
... ATTWI is an inter-denominational organisation which strives to uplift women and girl child, deal with issues pertaining to women and girl child rights, have dialogue with the concerned organisations, and make representation on their behalf and by doing so help the society to develop a healthier community by creating awareness.^[2]

Publications

Feminist Hermeneutics, Lalrinawmi Ralte, Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2002,^[3] ISBN 81-7214-710-4.

Executive Committees

The executive committees:^[4]

Term	President	Vice-President	Secretary	Treasurer	Executive Committee Members
1979-1981	Vanitha Nallathambi	Nalini Arles	Katakshamma Paul Raj	Annamma K. K. George	Shanti Solanki
					Graham Basanti
					Merian Mary
					Principal UTC
					President of AICCW
					Executive Secretary of Asian Church Women's Conference
1981-1983	Saroja Moses Sangha	Florence Deenadayalan	Sumathi Williams	Susy David	Smitha Pramanik
					Shantha Kumari
					Vatsala Christian
1983-1985	Annamma K. K. George	Christina Lall	Sarojini Prasad Rao	Grace Bai Joseph	Nihar Nalini Chatriya
					Smitha Rathod
					Vimala Kantharao
1985-1987	Annamma K. K. George	Christina Lall	Sarojini Prasad Rao	Grace Bai Joseph	Nihar Nalini Chatriya
					Vimala Kantharao
					Sumathi Williams
					Hannah Joseph
					Sarala David
					Saroja Sangha
					Navamani Elia Peter
					Mathai Zachariah
1987-1990	Padmasani J. Gallup	S. A. Benjamin	E. Joseph	S. Devapalana	Smitha Pramanik
					Jessie Ranjan
					Shanti Kumari
					Annamma K. K. George
					M. Bage
1990-1992	Navamani Elia Peter	Nirmala Vasantha Kumar	Rajakumari Joseph	Ratnavathi Babu Rao	Rachel Matthew
					Manoj Manjari Kumari
					Grace M. Joseph
					Padmasani J. Gallup
					Narendra John
1992-1997	Navamani Elia Peter	Vijayamma Prasad	Florence Deenadayalan	Shanta George	Suguna Devasundaram
					Manoj Manjari
					Awala Longkumer
					Sennangshila Benjamin
					P. C. Laltlani
					Vidya Benjamin
					Ratnavathi Babu Rao
					Nirmala Susai
					Shyamala Baby
					Kunjamma Philip
1997-2002	Jessie Nesakumar	B. V. Subbamma	Soumini Jayan	Sabitha Swaraj	Shyamala Sukumar
					Margaret Prabhu
					Ida Swamidas
					Anne Bhosle
					Sunitha Noronha
					Ashwathy John
2002-2006	Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar	Annamma Thariyan	Pankaja Manilal	Ratnavathi Babu Rao	B. Subhashini
					Shanti Tilak
					Graham Basanti
					Christina Lall
					Thankamma Varkey
					Anna Mary
2006-2009	Nirmala Vasantha Kumar	Susan George Matthew	Limatula Longkumer	Krupaveni Prakasha Rao	Susan Thomas
					Leela Rajanandam
					Ivaleen Ammanna
					Kanthamani Christopher Raj
					Lovely Mukherjee
					Rualzamawii
					Ravi Tiwari
2009-2014	Priscilla Reuben
2014-2020	Syamala Sukumar
2020-2024	Jyothi Sundar
2024-Present	Jessica Richard	Dakerlin Mukhim	Sofia Christabel	Laila Vijayan	Shantha Kumari
					Minitha
					Elizabeth Giri
					Vedakani
					Elizabeth Aharone

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ATTWI Handbook
^ Wati A. Longchar, "The Ecumenical Theological Education in Asia and the Pacific", Ministerial Formation; 101, July 2003, page 6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-24. Retrieved 2008-07-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Feminist Hermeneutics, ISPCK, New Delhi, 2002
^ ATTWI Handbook

Further reading

Gill, Kenneth (1990). Count Us Equal: The Ministry of Women in the Church of South India. Bangalore: Association of Theologically Trained Women in India. p. 216.
Ralte, Lalrinawmi; Anderson Rajkumar, Evangeline (2002). Feminist Hermeneutics. New Delhi: ISPCK. p. 164. ISBN 9788172147105.
Chatterjee, Sunil Kumar (2006). Hannah Marshman - The first woman missionary in India. Hooghly: S. K. Chatterjee. p. 106.
Richard, Jessica (2012). "Association of Theologically Trained Women in India". In Hedlund, Roger E.; Athyal, Jesudas M.; Kalapati, Joshua; Richard, Jessica (eds.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198073857.
Athyal, Jesudas M. (2012). "George, Annamma". In Hedlund, Roger E.; Athyal, Jesudas M.; Kalapati, Joshua; Richard, Jessica (eds.). Annamma, George. The Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198073857.
Richard, Jessica (2012). "Women's Studies". In Hedlund, Roger E.; Athyal, Jesudas M.; Kalapati, Joshua; Richard, Jessica (eds.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198073857.