TEP Prem Kumar lived a life wholly devoted to God—marked by prayer, humility, service, and unwavering faith. Born into a family deeply rooted in Christian ministry, his journey touched countless lives across generations, congregations, and communities.
Emmanuel Paul Prem Kumar Thumaty was the fourth son and seventh child of The Reverend Thumaty Joseph and Mrs. Kattupalli Jubilee Mary.
Rev. T. Joseph was a pioneering pastor and faithful servant of God who devoted many years of service to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), ministering across towns and villages.
He was the founding pastor of the Lutheran Church in Hyderabad and instrumental in acquiring land for what is now the Lutheran Center, Lakdi-ka-pul.
He later served as Synod President of the East Guntur Synod. Prem Kumar was born on Epiphany Day, January 6, 1953, at Government General Hospital, Tenali.
To mark the sacred occasion, Rev. T. Joseph distributed New Testament Bibles across the hospital wards— a defining symbol of lifelong devotion.
Prem Kumar is one of nine siblings, each distinguished by service in education, ministry, administration, and social upliftment.
| Year(s) | Class / Course | Place of Study / Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 – 1963 | Kindergarten, Primary School | Luthergiri, Rajahmundry |
| 1963 – 1966 | Primary Education | Methodist Boys High School, Abids, Hyderabad |
| 1966 – 1967 | High School | Near Central Jail, Rajahmundry |
| 1967 – 1969 | 9th and 10th Classes | Maclorne High School, Kakinada |
| 1969 – 1971 | Intermediate | AC College, Guntur |
| 1971 – 1974 | AMIE (Aeronautical Engineering) | Hyderabad |
| 1974 – 1977 | B.Sc | VRS & YRN College, Chirala |
| 1977 – 1979 | M.Sc (Physics) | Government Arts College, Rajahmundry |
Prem Kumar began his teaching journey by working in leave vacancies, serving in Vikarabad and nearby areas of Rangareddy district, establishing a strong foundation in education.
Retired as Head of the Department – Physics & Computer Science at AC College, Guntur, concluding a distinguished academic career marked by leadership and service.
On January 12, 1981, Prem Kumar married Hilda Bathula, daughter of Rev. Bathula Samuel and Mrs. Gera Mary, beginning a lifelong journey rooted in faith, love, and service.
MBA (Finance) & Master of Divinity, University of Serampore. Formerly with Bank of America, Arsin Systems, and Energy Tech Global. Currently Senior Program & Project Manager at Wyra.ai, Hyderabad.
Based in England, serving as Church Warden in the Church of England and preparing for ordained ministry. Project Manager & Content Development Manager at Cogent Skills Training Ltd. Married to Susan Misquita; blessed with a son, Jeremiah Emmanuel Thumaty.
MBBS, MD (General Medicine) from CMC, Vellore; DM (Oncology) from JIPMER, Pondicherry. Formerly served at CMC, Vellore; currently based in New Zealand. Married to Prashant Sadanala; blessed with a daughter, Hannah Freya Elizabeth Maria Sadanala.
Prem Kumar developed a passion for ministry from his early years, having closely witnessed his parents’ faithful service to the Lord. As a young person, he actively assisted his father in ministry among the fisherfolk at Vodarevu, Chirala (Guntur District).
In 1981, the Lord revealed a vision showing two boys of the same size. God declared the first as Moses, a leader, and the second as Samuel, a servant for ministry. When Prem Kumar asked for a daughter, God promised she would become a medical doctor.
On February 19, 1986, our three-year-old son Samuel fell from the second floor. Though uninjured outwardly, he had lost his breath. We prayed fervently, reminding God of His promises and the vision He had given for our family.
By God’s grace, Samuel was miraculously restored with no injury or trauma. Today, he lives and serves the Lord in England. In response to this miracle, we committed ourselves as a family to serve God together wherever He placed us.
Since that day, we have continued to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, witnessing God’s faithfulness, provision, and mighty works in our lives.
Prem Kumar was always ready to minister to family members, relatives, colleagues, and friends. He frequently led thanksgiving and prayer services, both locally and out of town.
Following his passing, many shared testimonies of how God’s grace, mercy, provision, and deliverance were experienced through his faithful prayers. We give glory to God for using him powerfully in the lives of loved ones.
I know for a fact that Hilda aunty and my cousins provided unwavering support to uncle (babai), fully accommodating his passion for ministry. They never imposed restrictions that would hinder his ability to serve or travel for ministry.
In 2013, his children gifted him a car (an i10 Grand) so that he could reach distant places—earlier, he often travelled by two-wheeler or public transport. Even during serious health challenges, he never allowed circumstances to interfere with his calling.
Though God placed his daughter as a doctor at CMC, Vellore, ensuring access to excellent medical care, uncle never shifted his focus from ministry. His faith for well-being rested fully in God’s grace and mercy rather than in doctors or hospitals.
He often assured aunty that nothing would happen without the Lord’s permission—confident that if God did not protect him, no facility or access to medical care could. He pressed on with ministry, trusting God completely with his health and circumstances.
We praise God for His graciousness and for using uncle so powerfully, bringing glory to His holy name.
Prem Kumar established regular church services in locations where no pastors were present, including a Converts Church at Pedda Vadlapudi, Guntur District.
He ministered in Lutheran Church branches in the 5th and 6th wards of Repalle town, as well as in Manthri Palem, Yazali, and surrounding villages. He also contributed to church renovations and served in various parishes of St. Matthew’s Church—North, West, East, and South Parishes in Guntur.
During his service, Prem Kumar acted as Director of the Department of Religious Education at AC College, Guntur.
He regularly led morning devotions in the College Assembly Hall, conducted the College Sunday School every week, and ministered in the college hostels—Heyer Hall, Wolf Hall, Strock Hall, and Bullard Hall.
While in Vellore, Prem Kumar delivered messages in the Hospital Chapel at CMC, Vellore.
He also fostered house churches, led gatherings in homes at various locations, and regularly conducted Saturday prayer meetings at their residence in Guntur.
In addition to congregational ministry, Prem Kumar trained and anointed many devoted pastors, young men, and women for church service.
Many of these were converts whom he prepared and commissioned to serve faithfully within their own communities, multiplying the reach of the gospel through trained leadership.
| Location | Names |
|---|---|
| Paatha Guntur | Pastor Kumar |
| Repalle | Mr. Bharath, Mr. Ch. David Raju, Mrs. Rajani Israel, Mrs. Aruna, Mrs. Lakshmi, Mrs. Sumathi |
| Guntur | Pastor J. Yesupadam, Mr. Ramesh Bandi, Pastor Praveen, Pastor Sujit, Mrs. Arani Jyothi, Ms. Nirmala Jyothi |
| Ponnekallu | Pastor Deva Das |
| Chhattisgarh | Sunil, Mr. G. Daniel Vijaya Babu, Pastor A. Paul Raj |
| Kasthala | Mr. Naresh |
| S.No | Place / Church / Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity Lutheran Church, Kugler Hospital, Guntur |
| 2 | Mangalagiri Lutheran Church (4th Sunday) |
| 3 | St. John’s (AT Agraharam) |
| 4 | St. Mathew’s East Parish |
| 5 | St. Mathew’s West Parish |
| 6 | St. Mathew’s North Parish |
| 7 | St. Mathew’s South Parish |
| 8 | United Church (Housing Board Colony) |
| 9 | Amalapuram |
| 10 | Etukuru (Converts Church) |
| 11 | Peddavadlapudi |
| 12 | Chebrolu |
| 13 | Pedda Reddy Palem |
| 14 | Kothapalem |
| 15 | Mylavaram |
| 16 | Nizampatnam |
| 17 | Jaggaiapet |
| 18 | Gudikaayalanka |
| 19 | Repalle (Town Church) |
| 20 | Manthrivaripalem |
| 21 | Bellamvaripalem |
| 22 | Moorthota |
| 23 | Bodduvaripalem |
| 24 | Narasaraopeta |
| 25 | Nagarala, Guntur |
| 26 | Etukuru |
| 27 | Vinjampadu |
| 28 | Chirala (Every 2nd Saturday – Baer Hospital Compound) |
| 29 | Kasthala (Pastor Babu Rao) |
| 30 | Uppudi |
| 31 | Ullipalem |
| 32 | Khazipalem |
| 33 | Nagailanka |
| 34 | Chakkavaripalem |
| 35 | Cherukupalli |
| 36 | Reddypalem |
| 37 | Vinjanampadu (for a family of converts) |
| 38 | Lalpuram |
| 39 | Ponnekallu |
Prem Kumar effectively leveraged modern media and communication platforms to share the Gospel with a wide audience. His sermons and messages were recorded and broadcast daily on the Suvarthavani Channel, Guntur, made possible through the generous support of Mr. Pilli Sam Prasad.
He also embraced digital platforms such as Zoom and WhatsApp, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. He faithfully shared daily messages, devotionals, and conducted online prayer meetings until about a week before his passing, when hospitalisation prevented him from using his phone.
Many who encountered his messages—ranging from market vendors to those seeking spiritual guidance—responded with faith, baptism, and testimony, experiencing healing, deliverance, and transformation through prayer.
Prem Kumar was blessed with multiple gifts of the Holy Spirit, including healing, discernment, preaching, tongues, and prophecy. Wherever God called him, he ministered with spiritual authority, confronting evil spirits, witchcraft, and oppression through prayer and faith.
Even during his professional career as a lecturer and after retirement, he devoted much of his time to travelling, praying, encouraging faith, and seeking deliverance for those in need. He regularly hosted prayer meetings every Saturday evening at his home in Guntur and every Wednesday at a house church in Nagarampalem.
People reached out to him at all hours for prayer and counsel, and he responded with compassion and discernment. Remarkably, even during his hospitalisation at CMC, Vellore, he continued to minister daily by praying and preaching to medical staff and fellow patients.
His life stands as a testimony of unwavering devotion—faithfully ministering to others until the very end of his earthly journey.