In a first for the Indian manistream church, the Church of South India (CSI) created history by appointing Rev.Eggoni Pushpalalitha as its first woman bishop in India.  September 25th, 2013 .

The bishop-designate E.Pushpalalitha is to be installed at a consecration ceremony to be held at the historic Anglical cathedral at Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh on Monday – September 30th, 2013. The moderator of the Church Rev. Devakataksham will adminster the oath and grace the occasion alongwith other dignitaries of the church. She will assume charge as Bishop of Nandyal diocese which is spread over 5 districts in Rayalaseema and part of Prakasam with a membership of over 90,000 people.

She is the first amongst 3 surviving children and was born to a family of agriculturists in a small village Diguvapudu in Kurnool district in 1956. She became a pastor in 1984. Rev. E. Pushpalalitha earned her B.A. degree from Andhra University and then went on to do BD from the Andhra Christian Theological College in Hyderabad. She also attended a few courses in theology in UK and USA.

Rev. E. Pushpalalitha is the second woman to become bishop among all churches of the country. The Good Samaritan Evangelical Lutheran Mission located in Bhadrachalam appointed Rev. A. Katakshamma as their bishop in 1996.

The Church of South India ( CSI): Inaugrated in 1947 is one of the 38 member Churches of the Anglican communion. It is a ‘United’ church – the result of the Union of Churches of varying traditions Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian and Reformed.

The CSI has 22 bishops across all dioceses in the country and Sri Lanka. The mission has over 3,000 presbyters of which around 120 are women.

In India, the Anglican family of churches, include Church of South India, Church of North India, Methodist Church and Marthoma Church amongst others.