About HBI

Vankateswami Gupta was born on 20th February 1920 to orthodox Hindu. Right from his young age, he was brought up as a devout follower of the deities. His father persuaded him to be a lawyer and sent him for high school education.

During his pursuit of education, he became a wayward youth and picked up evil habits like smoking, gambling etc. although his dream of becoming a lawyer would not be fulfilled, he enjoyed the money-lending business as farmers came from a radius of 30 miles to borrow and sell their properties both movable and immovable. One day his father scolded him and yelled if you keep this up, you are going straight to hell! Do you hear me? Straight to hell. This became a turning point in Vankateswamis life and he started searching for the way of salvation and ultimately found Jesus Christ. His journey with Jesus Christ started in 1937. In the context of India’s independence, saw a need for national leadership in mission. He developed a strategy to envision, equip and mobilize men and women to take the Gospel to the unreached villages and peoples of India. The story of his life can be put in four words as “THE LORD IS FAITHFUL”.

HBI began with 5 students in a rented building and a borrowed missionary. Its main centre is now located in Chennai but is being reproduced in 8 other locations around the nation. It graduated over 13,000 men and women who serve the Lord all over the world.

HBI & College continues to develop God-class transformational leaders through formal degree programs, online degree programs, professional studies, non-formal training for village church planters and informal training for pastors and Christian leaders to disciple the nations. Its church planting movement aims to reach the unreached, disciple the receptive and plant where no churches exists.

HBI is also engaged in community transformation and developing by serving the children at risk, women at risk and empowering the young people with skill development. Over the years, the Lord has used various strategies to grow His work through the ministries of HBI. Having a meager beginning as a Bible College with just 5 students, we now have formal, online, non-formal, informal, cross cultural and next Gen training programs in 10 HBI regional centers around the country.

God has blessed the ministry in enabling us to plant over 15,000 churches in 23 of the 29 states of India. On an average we minister to over 12,500 children in India, provide health care and rehabilitation through various medical programs. We partner with about 100 missional people each year from the global church. Through these combined efforts, we minister to over half a million people each year.

Dr. Paul R. Gupta is the son of Dr. Paul V. Gupta. He is the current President and Director of HBI and College. He is a modern Nehemiah of the 21st Century. He is a leader who accepted God’s vision of seeing India, disciple for Christ. He is fully committed to the word of God and Biblical values.

Dr. Paul Gupta brought an awakening to HBI that evangelism should result in disciple-making. Dr. Paul R. Gupta has earned a PhD in Inter Cultural Studies from Fuller School of Inter-Cultural Studies, CA, USA. His specialization includes Inter-Cultural Studies, leadership development and global partnership. He is the CEO and founder of different NGOs and is engaged in training. Dr. Gupta has authored a book called “Breaking Traditions to Accomplish Vision”. Dr. Gupta was instrumental to establish three organizations.

For more information about the History of HBI, Click here