Our God's Faithful Provision | Women's Dorm

The Need

India is currently the most populous country in the world, with over 1.45 billion people. Christians in India make up the third largest religious group in India (after Hindus and Muslims) and official estimates place us at approximately 2.3% of the total Indian population, translating to over 30 million people.  Of the ~30MM practicing Christians in India, it is estimated that 82% are women.

This is compelling evidence for why more Indian women should receive theological education and be equipped for ministry. Anecdotally, our co-founder Christobel K. Russelliah has shared how she was able to enter village spaces and invite women to faith, in ways that the founder, Rev. Dr. Chelliah Russelliah was not able to. Even outside the Church, it is widely accepted that education of girls and women has a direct impact on the progress, growth, and stability of families, communities, and thereby whole countries. Even so, Indian Christian women have consistently struggled to find a place, voice, and opportunities to serve within the Church and Christian organizations. As recent as 2011, Thehil Russelliah Singh (GGM's VP of Global Relations) recalls being the only incoming female student in her class at an Indian seminary. This trend is prevalent across theological education in India, with some seminaries enrolling only a handful of female students. 

GGM's Focus on Women in Ministry

At GGM’s Indian Theological Seminary (ITS), we have intentionally bucked this trend by making room for the training and equipping of Indian women for the Church. As of Fall 2025, ITS has a total student body strength of 129 students. Of our 129 seminarians, 30 are women making up 23% of our total student body. 

We have a long way to go to make theological education fully and equally accessible to both men and women , but the new women’s dorm is a step in the right direction. 

The Impact

The new women’s dorm will not only allow us to enroll 30-40 women students each year, it will also provide space for spouses and children of GGM missionaries, and women visiting from the congregations of GGM’s Indian Missionary Church (IMC) to reside when visiting the GGM campus.