Gnananantham, D.K.

1906 - 1975
Pastor
Methodist
Malaya/Malaysia

Rev D.K. Gnananantham was born in 1906 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

In 1920, Rev S.W.V. Arumugam, pastor of the Tamil Methodist Church Klang (TMC Klang), wrote in the then Methodist Chronicle (Methodist Message) asking for more Tamil- speaking and singing pastors. Rev Gnananantham was one of those sent by the mission and he stayed with Rev Arumugam in Klang.

He was posted as the headmaster to the Tamil school at Harun Estate in Klang but he also assisted Rev Arumugam in the TMC Klang ministry. While serving there, he met Grace Ratnamal and they were married on September 14, 1929 at St Barnabas Church Klang.

Rev Arumugam passed away during a baptism service on January 10, 1932 at TMC Klang. In 1939, Gnananantham was ordained as pastor and pastored the TMC Klang while also ministering to the Indian community in Klang and the outskirts of Port Klang, Banting, Carey Island, Kuala Selangor, Kapar, Puchong and Tanjung Malim. In 1949, he was transferred to Kuantan for one year as pastor of TMC Kuantan, mainly ministering to the Indian communities in the estates.

In 1950, he was transferred to Sungai Petani. He also travelled far and wide to Kangar, Alor Setar, Bedong, Gurun, Kuala Ketil and Batu Dua. It was during his time that the new parsonage was built in Sungai Petani and many outreach points were planted.

He was then transferred to Ipoh in 1965 which was to be his last posting. Despite his failing health, he took up the challenge to shepherd the big congregation at the Tamil Methodist Church, Buntong and he never failed to visit the members come rain or shine. 

The church was growing in numbers, giving and ministries, and there was also a breakthrough when a number of youngsters gave their lives to full-time ministry. These included Rev David Tharmakanz, Rev P. Tevaraji and Rev S. Doraisingham. However, Rev Gnananantham did not live to see the fruits of this labour. Till today, the people in the Buntong Tamil Settlement speak of him and his ministry. 

His motto was “to serve the Lord till his last breath”. His children never saw him go on leave and whenever it was brought up, he would humbly say, “My leave is when my Lord calls me.”

On May 11, 1975, the Lord took him home.

 

Benne, Paul, Abel and Robert Gnananantham

The writers are the children of  Rev Gnananantham.

© CCM-2011. This article from A Great Cloud of Witnesses: A Historical Record of Key Pastors in the Indian Churches in Malaysia and Singapore is reproduced with permission of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, with editing for clarity and brevity.