Media Release
Bengaluru, Jul 25: Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar, United Methodist Church’s first Indian American bishop, passed away on July 18.
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church of USA, was the first Indian American Bishop served in the United Methodist Church. Bishop Devadhar was elected to the episcopacy in 2004 by the Northeastern Jurisdictional (NEJ) Conference of The United Methodist Church. Before he was elected as a bishop in 2004, he began his ministry in 1982 as pastor, and later served for eight years as the district superintendent for the Ontario District of the then North Central New York Annual Conference. Thus, his service to the United Methodist Church extends for four decades. He retired on January 1, 2023.
Bishop Devadhar began his assignment as the bishop of the New Jersey Episcopal Area (Greater New Jersey Annual Conference) on September 1, 2004. After serving in the New Jersey Area for 8 years, he was assigned to the Boston Area (New England Annual Conference, which contained 650 churches) in July 2012.
He was born on April 6, 1951, into a family of clergypersons and has been a follower of God all of his life. The name ‘Devadhar" means ‘follower of God’. Suda, as he was known, began his pastoral ministry as a deacon at the Church of South India, Mercara Coorg. He holds a BCom degree from Vijaya College, Mulki, a BD degree from United Theological College, Bangalore, a MTh degree from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and a MPhil and a PhD from Drew University.
Apart from serving the United Methodist Church for a long period as Pastor, District Superintendent and Bishop, his contribution is also acknowledged as teacher, lecturer and administrator. Bishop Devadhar died at the age of 72 and is survived by his wife, Prema, and their daughter, Trina, son-in-law Gage and their grandchildren.
The following statement of Bishop Devadhar is worth to be quoted here: “As I have said before, like Mother Teresa, I don’t want to promise you that I will be successful, but I will be faithful and I will try my best to do that.”