[19] Nearly a decade and half after the articles by P. Solomon Raj and Roger E. Hedlund on the importance of the Christian Hymnal in Telugu, G. Babu Rao,[20] the Old Testament Scholar[21] recollects the homiletical significance of the preaching and singing of Masilamani in the context of his birth centenary celebrations held in 2014, We heard the messages of Masilamani in the Church Society gatherings of the Churches under Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars where Masilamani would preach on a theme with key verses split into three parts, each stuffed with exegetical and expository-devotional and spiritually deep thoughts with exhortations through suitable and easily understood illustrations making an educated and illiterate member of Churches to go home feeling equally enthusiastic after having heard and listened to a wonderful sermon and songs.
D. S. Amalorpavadass who espoused the cause of Indian ethos and advocated for inclusion of vernacular languages at the Second Vatican Council rechristened himself as Swamy Amalorananda at a later stage of his ecclesiastical career.
The growth of the Church in Telugu-speaking states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh began taking shape with the advent[23] of Catholic and Protestant Missions.
For long, Masilamani was assigned priestly duties at the Churches of the Canadian Baptist Mission whose area of operation included six northern coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.
One of his students, K. David[31] went on to master the New Testament at Serampore College, West Bengal and also pursued doctoral studies at the Edinburgh University, Scotland.
In his later years', S. E. Krupa Rao became a notable contributor in matters of ecclesiastical, medical and technical contribution of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars as well as to the ecumenical movement through the Bible Society of India[8] and the Andhra Pradesh Christian Council.
[3] After Masilamani's tenure as principal of the Major Seminary in Kakinada that ended in 1959,[2] he took up a role as promotional secretary[2] of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars.
Masilamani's distinguished service with the Bible Society of India was followed by a widespread evangelistic ministry,[36] a fact reiterated by the Old Testament Scholar G. Babu Rao[37] who points out that during Masilamani's tenure at the Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary, he had set a trend and his work was regarded with great respect[5] among the Protestant Churches in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
The sustained efforts of the vision of Masilamani and others resulted in the formation of the Andhra Christian Theological College in 1964[44] at Rajahmundry which eventually relocated to Secunderabad in 1973.
Masilamani, as member of the Kretzmann Commission had visited the St. John's Regional Seminary (Theologiate), Ramanthapur as well as the Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College, Shamshabad.
He was the editor of popular Telugu Christian magazines like Ravi 1947–1960, Gruha Joythi 1961–1965 and Kapari 1970–1990 with articles contributed by notable Pastors and Bishops.
[46] Ravela Joseph and B. Suneel Bhanu who had been commissioned by the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College to compile the original Christian writings in Telugu have also included the titles of Masilamani in the compilation Bibliography of Original Christian Writings in India in Telugu[47] which include: Masilamani was also a scholar theologian.
In 1960 when the ecumenical Indian Christian Theological Conference[49] was held in Madras, he participated in its proceedings where the notable Theologian Joshua Russell Chandran also happened to take part.
[50] The same year, Masilamani also attended a conference called for by the National Council of Churches in India, Nagpur and the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, Bangalore in the presence of Paul David Devanandan with the theme, Christian participation in nation-building: the summing up of a corporate study on rapid social change.
[51] In 1981, Masilamani addressed an inter-faith seminar conducted by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Educational Trust in Hyderabad and shared dais with a Hindu priest and a Mullah.
[52] The Wisconsin University Scholar, R. R. Sundara Rao included Masilamani's songs in his treatise Bhakti Theology in the Telugu Hymnal.
[4] R. R. Sundara Rao who taught at the Protestant Seminary in Secunderabad writes that, Masilamani was greatly influenced by his Teacher Chetty Bhanumurthy who happened to tutor him both at the high school level as well as at the Seminary in Kakinada.The name of Masilamani rings bells in the Catholic[22] and Protestant Churches where the hymns he had composed are sung melodiously to this day.
Incidentally, Masilamani was a pupil[4][54] of the lyricist Chetty Bhanumurthy[4] at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Kakinada from where he is said to have imbibed the element of Bhakti[4][55] in his lyric compositions in the line of the Ramanujacharya, the great Indian Vaishnava Saint on whose life many Christian[56] parallels[57] can be found.
[7]Masilamani was a man of the masses, standing tall with a handsome personality and a majestic demeanour coupled with remarkable oratorial skills, he made his presence on stage compelling.
Masilamani was a significant example of the calibre of leadership that emerged in our work in India.Masilamani's ministry of teaching and preaching strengthened millions of people in India across all denominations.
[66]For his contributions to worldwide Christian ministry many took note of Masilamani and was known by several nicknames, including 'Billy Graham of the East', 'Man of the Age', 'Spotless Gem' and 'King of Preachers'.
[70] On 30 November 2021, Ministry of Communications (India), Department of Posts released a Philatelic cover through Office of Postmaster General Visakhapatnam region.
This was released by Dr. M. Venkateswarlu, Postmaster General and N. Somasekhara Rao, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Visakhapatnam Division in the presence of Bishop M. A. Daniel, MCI and Dr. A.