Venkata Subbamma Bathineni was born on 1 July 1925[3] in Bodipalem in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India to a family of traditional Hindus.
[9] That same year in June, she founded a Christian ashram at Rajahmundry[14] with the goal of helping women attain an education and become nurses, social activists and leaders.
[11] She focused on introducing Christianity to Hindu women, believing that an indigenous approach brought understanding and integration of cultures.
[22] Subbamma retired in 1985 but continued volunteering with the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI) of Chennai.
[9] On 20 February 1999, she was finally ordained into the ministry, when the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) allowed 17 women ordination.