DIMAPUR, MAY 17 (NPN): In a landmark achievement for Christian missions and indigenous language preservation in Northeast India, Vikugha Sema has become the first Naga missionary to translate the New Testament Bible into another language with the dedication and release of the Puroik New Testament Bible in Arunachal Pradesh on May 12, at PBM mission compound, Balijan, Itanagar Arunachal Pradesh.
The dedication marks the culmination of 12 years, 6 months and 10 days of translation work, prayer, linguistic research and missionary engagement among the Puroik community. The project was undertaken under the Indian Evangelical Mission in partnership with the Nyishi Baptist Church Council, the Bible Society of India, church leaders and supporters.
The translation journey began in April 2010 when Sema and his family were commissioned as pioneer cross-cultural missionary Bible translators to serve among the Puroik people in New Seppa of East Kameng district. The Nyishi Baptist Church Council formally approved the translation ministry through its official resolutions the same year.
As part of the language development process, the Puroik alphabet and numerical charts were dedicated in 2013 at Papu Nallah, while phonology studies and grammar analysis were later completed in Dehradun to help standardise the language and improve translation accuracy.
Formal Bible translation work started on February 2, 2014. A major milestone was achieved in 2017 with the dedication of the Gospel of Mark, the first translated book in the Puroik language. Translation efforts later expanded to audio Scripture recording and dictionary verification in collaboration with mission and language partners.
According to the translators, the Bible translation process involved extensive linguistic preparation, exegesis, drafting, team checking, community comprehension review, consultant evaluation, proofreading and trial printing before final publication.
Mission leaders stated that the translation was aimed at making the Scriptures accessible in the heart language of the Puroik people while also contributing to spiritual growth, literacy, cultural relevance and preservation of the indigenous language.
In a message released during the dedication programme, Sema acknowledged that while every effort had been made to ensure accuracy and clarity, the team remained open to constructive feedback and corrections for future refinement of the translation.
Expressing gratitude to churches, mission organisations and supporters who contributed to the project over the years, he described the completion of the Puroik New Testament as a testimony of God’s faithfulness and a significant step in strengthening the faith and identity of the Puroik Christian community.
