Rochunga Pudaite, Indian writer and translator, died at 88

  Dead Famous

Rochunga Pudaite, born on December 4, 1927 and passed away October 10, 2015, Rochunga was an Indian minister of Hmar descent who translated the Bible into the Hmar language and in 1971 founded Bibles for the World.

He studied at Allahabad University in his native India and at Wheaton College in the United States.

At the close of the 19th century, the British branded the Hmar people of northeast India as “the worst headhunters”.

In 1871, they beheaded over 500 British soldiers.

Then, on February 4, 1910, a missionary from Wales named Watkin Roberts, armed with a copy of the New Testament, arrived in the area where the tribal group lived.

Rochunga lived under the same roof and taught the Hmar people about God, specifically the Gospel of John.

Through that lone missionary, Chawnga, the father of Rochunga Pudaite, was introduced to the teachings of Jesus.

Chawnga and a few tribesmen believed in what they learned and became dedicated Christians.

Chawnga believed that his son, Rochunga, was God’s chosen instrument to bring the Bible to the Hmar tribe in their own language.

Rochunga did indeed accomplish this task not only for his native language, but also for a number of other tribes.

He has since become founder of Bibles for the World, an international ministry working with India and with a location in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The ministry focuses on Bible distribution, child sponsorship, and the India Children’s Choir.

Rochunga Pudaite’s biography is recounted in James Hefley’s book God’s Tribesman: the Rochunga Pudaite Story (Holman, 1977), in Joe Musser’s book Fire on the Hill (Tyndale House Publishers, 1998), and in the film Beyond the Next Mountain.

Rochunga is the author of My Billion Bible Dream (Thomas Nelson, 1982) and The Greatest Book Ever Written (Hannibal Books, 1989).

Rochunga Pudaite died at a Colorado hospital on 10th October 2015.

His death was a major loss for the people of Northeast India, especially the Hmar tribe.