Marathakavalli David

[4] Since her school days,[5] Marathakavalli nursed an ambition to become a Priest and was influenced[5] by the lives of Florence Nightingale and William Carey who strove to serve mankind[5] braving all odds.

The year 1989 was eventful as the Church of South India Synod was led by Moderator Victor Premasagar, who all along took the scriptural stance, also echoed by I. Jesudason,[11] that there was nothing standing in the way of women's ordination.

After Marathakavalli's spiritual formation at the Kerala United Theological Seminary, Trivandrum, she was assigned the role of a Bible woman at Christ Church, Kollam,[5] then Nediakala,[4] Nannamkuzhy, Meppallikonam, Meenara, Poozhikkunnu, Jagathy and Aakkulam.

Though women studying theology has become widely accepted over the decades, their desire to become a priest was being met with widespread criticism and resentment till the late 20th century.

[5]Marathakavalli died at the age of 60[6] in October 2011,[6] and the funeral mass was conducted by The Right Reverend Dharmaraj Rasalam[6] the present bishop - in - South Kerala.