The Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) is a Baptist Christian denomination in Tripura, India. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. The TBCU is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF) and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). It is also a member church of the North East India Christian Council (NEICC), a regional church body of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI).

History

The union was formed under the leadership of Rev. M.J. Eade in December 1938 in Lakshmilunga, a village six miles from Agartala. TBCU was supported and funded from the beginning by the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society (NZBMS), which also provided most of the staff till the 1960s. Since then TBCU has now become an independent indigenous self-supporting church organisation. Rev. M.J. Eade was appointed as the first General Secretary of the Tripura Baptist Christian Union. Rev. Lalhuala Darlong was the first national General Secretary.Origin and Growth of Christianity in Tripura (Sukhendu Debbarma, 1996)

TBCU employs many pastors and evangelists and runs community programs such as schools and dispensaries. Since the early 1980s, it has been working in partnerships with the Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) and the Evangelical Church of Maraland (ECM) from Mizoram. Both BCM and ECM have many workers in Tripura working as missionaries and evangelist/teachers in various TBCU churches and schools.

TBCU celebrated its Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilees in 1988 and 1998 respectively with much fanfare.

Organization

Office TBCU has its office in the Baptist Mission Compound at Arundhutinagar, Agartala.

The Mission Compound was established in 1938 under an official land grant by the then King of Tripura Kingdom, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, to the Baptist missionaries from New Zealand.

Associations It has the following Sadar North Baptist Association (SNBA) Central Baptist Association (CBA) Kok Baptist Association (KOKBA) Udaipur Baptist Association(UBA) Salgra Baptist Association (SBA) Kailashahar Baptist Christian Association (KBCA) Jampui Sakhan Baptist Association (JSBA) Tripura Baptist A'chik Krima Yarong Baptist Christian Association (YBCA) Saisawm Sazai Baptist Association (SSBA) Dharmanagar-Longai Baptist Association (DLBA) Yapri Baptist Association (YBA) Kamalpur Baptist Association (KBA) Songang Baptist Christian Association (SBCA) Dergang Baptist Association (DBA) Jampui Longkai sakhan Baptist Association (JLSBA) Hachwk Haphar Baptist Association(HHBA) Raima Sorma Baptist association(RSBA) Bishramganj Baptist Association(BBA)

Every year a meeting of the Council Members of the TBCU is organised at one of the churches within the Union.

Schools

Union

St. Paul's School

The TBCU runs the St. Paul's School which is situated in Arundhutinagar, Agartala. The school was started in the early 1940s as the first English medium school in the Kingdom of Tripura.

Currently, the Principal of the School is Mrs Manjuri Sangma and the Vice-Principal is Mr. James Muankima.

The school is a higher secondary school with classes from K.G. to Class XII. It is affiliated to CISCE.

Darchawi S.B Bengali medium school, at Darchawi village in Unakoti district of Tripura, was also developed by the NZBMS with the financial aid of the Government of Tripura.

SNBA The association runs four English Medium schools, namely:

Tipprah Academy Tipprah Academy is a higher secondary school in Barkathal affiliated to the TBSE, offering classes from LKG-XII.

Salka Academy Salka Academy is located in Hezamara

Subrai Academy Subrai Academy is located in Burakha, under the Burakha IS. mandwi block west Tripura, 799035. The school was established in 2010. English medium school class provide Nursary LKG to class VIII (Eight) The school is affiliated by Tripura Govt., recognized and run by SNBA.

Haptorpha Academy

hamtorpha Academy is located in Champak Nagar area.

Langma Academy

Langma Academy is located in Langma hathai, Abhicharan area.

CBA St. Peter's School St Peter's School is located in Jampuijala Block, Sepahijala District of Tripura and is run by the Central Baptist Association of TBCU. It was established in 1991.

KOKBA Kok English Medium School Kok English Medium School is located in Baijal bari, Khowai District. The school is affiliated to TBSE for Nursery to Class -X. It is run by KOKBA.

Udaipur Baptist Association(UBA)

St. John's Senior Secondary School

St John's High School is located in Raio, Killa, Udaipur, Gomoti Tripura. It was established in 1972. The school is affiliated to CBSE for Nursery to Class -XII. It is run by Borok Hoda Thong(BHT).

Elem English School

Elem English School is located in Dulukma, Amarpur, Gomoti Tripura . The school is affiliated to TBSE for Nursery to Class -X. It is run by Baptist Church of Mizoram(BCM).

Hamari English School

Hamari English School is located in Bangphur, Amarpur, Gomati Tripura. The school is affiliated to TBSE for Nursery to Class-VIII. It is also run by BCM.

Nograi Mission English School

Nograi Mission English School(NMES) is located is located in Nograi, Ompi, Gomoti Tripura. The school is affiliated to CBSE for Nursery to Class -VIII. It is run by Chekiye Village Baptist Church(CVBC), Nagaland.

Salgra Baptist Association(SBA) Ebenezer High School Ebenezer High School is located in Twiphuma, Manubazar, South Tripura District of Tripura. It was established in 1983. The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Saisawm Sazai Baptist Association (SSBA) St. James Higher Secondary School St James Higher Secondary School is located in Gongrai Molsom village, P.O Kendraichera, Sepahijala Dist. Tripura. It was established in 1980. The school is mainly for the scheduled Tribes students. The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education For KG to Class - X is affiliated to CBSE and For Class - XI & XII it is affiliated to TBSE.

Nazareth English School

Nazareth English School is Located in Tuidu Bazar, Gomati District, Tripura. Mainly For Classes from KG to Class VIII.

JSBA The JSBA currently runs two schools.

St. Thomas English Medium School St. Thomas English Medium School, located at Vanghmun village, was established in 1979. It educates to the mostly scheduled Tribes students living in and around Jampui hill. Pu Lalnunsanga is the headmaster of the school. The school has KG to Class X standards. The school is affiliated to the Tripura Board of School education (TBSE). Every year a considerable number of Madhyamik students appear for their examination and come out with flying colors. The school has contributed greatly to the educational development of the people of Jampui hill. It has a boarding house for both male and female students. A stipend is provided by the Tribal Welfare Department of Tripura, through which each year a number of poor students can pursue their educational careers at the school.

Pohor English Medium School Pohor English Medium school was established in 2008 at Chawmanu under Chailengta Sub-Division of Dhalai District.

Theological Institution Tripura Theological College The TBCU runs Tripura Theological College for courses in the Bachelor of Theology (B.Th) which is accredited by the Asia Theological Association (ATA)ATA -> Tipura Theological College from its mission compound in Agartala where mission workers are trained in Biblical doctrines and other theological studies. Presently, Rev. Bishu Kumar Debbarma is the principal of the college.

Hospital Earlier, the TBCU ran its own hospital at their headquarters from the 1930s until 1980 when it was discontinued, providing free treatment to the people of the state.

Presently under SNBA, a hospital is being constructed at Kaya Haduk, Patni village of West Tripura around 20 km from Agartala city.

Social service Since its inception. the TBCU has been supporting several voluntary NGOs dedicated to the development of the poor tribals living in the remote hamlets of Tripura.

Institute of Community Transformation Sponsored by Seva Bharat (Mission India) Location: Madhab Baptist Church, Mandwi Baptist Pastoral Circle

Publications

Bibles TBCU in partnership with the Bible Society of India has been active in translating the Bible and New Testament in various local languages of Tripura.

Smai Kwtal The New Testament of the Bible in Kokborok language, the dialect of the native people of Tripura was first published in 1976.

The translation team were: Rev. B.K. Smith, NZBMS Rev. Jong Bahadur Debbarma, TBCU Ramesh Debbarma, TBCU

Baibel Kthar The Bible in Kaubru dialect for the Bru people called Bible kthar that is meaning Holy Bible. The New Testament called SMAIKTA and the OLD Testament called SMAIKCHAM. The translation by Rev. S.K. MSHA, and his team which was published by the Bible Society of India in 2011.

Baibel Kwthar The full Holy Bible in Kokborok language was published for the first time in 2013 by the Bible Society of India.

The TBCU translation team were: Rev. Jong Bahadur Debbarma, CBA Rev. Anil Debbarma, CBA Rev. Nilmani Debbarma, SNBA Mark Debbarma, CBA Chitta Debbarma, SNBA Dn. Chitta Ranjan Debbarma, SNBA

Dan Thar The New Testament of the Bible in (Molsom) language the dialect of the native people of Tripura. The translation team were: (Late) Rev. Misilkumar Molsom Rev. Sonabahadur Molsom Decon. Lalkunga Molsom Decon. C L. Nunhlima Rev. Mosia Molsom

Literature Under the Tripura Baptist Christian Literature Committee and the Kokborok Christian Literature Committee (KCLC) various songbooks, tracts and study materials are regularly published by the TBCU.

Statistics According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 84,795 members in 943 churches.Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023

Sl. No. Association Churches Members 1. Sadar North Baptist Association (SNBA) 188 27,260 2. Central Baptist Association (CBA) 92 6,500 3. Udaipur Baptist Association (UBA) 92 7,190 4. Kok Baptist Association (KOKBA) 85 6,284 5. Yarung Baptist Christian Association (YBCA) 27 3,298 6. Salgra Baptist Association (SBA) 55 8,179 7. Yapri Baptist Association (YBA) 39 2,271 8. Kailasahar Baptist Christian Association (KBCA) 81 11,100 9. Dergang Baptist Association (DBA) 84 8,555 10. Dharmanagar Longai Baptist Association (DLBA) 27 3,185 11. Kamalpur Baptist Association (KBA) 33 2,298 12. Jampui Longai Baptist Association (JLBA) 37 4,269 13. Songang Baptist Christian Association (SBCA) 11 659 14. Jampui Sakhan Baptist Association (JSBA) 11 6,700 15. Tripura Baptist A'chik Krima (TBAK) 31 3,987 16. Saizawm Sazai Baptist Association (SSBA) 84 13,606 17. Hachuk Haphar Baptist Association (HHBA) 34 2,187 18. Bishramganj Baptist Association (BBA) 38 2,542

Office bearers of TBCU

Union General Secretary: Rev. Dr. Dohoram Reang Associate General Secretary: Rev. Parimal Kaipeng Secretary: Rev. Apurba Debbarma

Presidents The list of presidents of the Union are as follows:TBCU Presidents, AK