About Us
Who We Are and What We Do
Founder, Sunil Sardar
Sunil
Sunil Sardar is a native of the state of Maharashtra in central India. In his early years, Sunil was involved in the struggles of the common people which connected his heart with India’s lowered-caste and outcast peoples. He led a farmer’s protest in his region and fought for social justice and economic empowerment for the lowered castes. Throughout the 1990’s, Sunil assisted in planting over 400 churches.
After years of research into India’s social and religious histories, Sunil grew to realize that India’s lowered castes are not primarily Hindu, as is assumed by most Indians, Christians, and the West. He learned that the lowered castes’ histories, cultures, and religious traditions connect them to an Almighty God, and ultimately, Christ.
In 2003, God called Sunil to start a new work among India’s lowered castes–to help them re-discover the One God of their forefathers, then complete the connection to the God of the Bible. Sunil named Truthseekers after The Society for the Seekers of Truth, founded in the 1800’s by Jotirao Phule, a famous Indian social reformer who was a strong advocate for the lowered castes of India, and a believer in Christ.
Jesus’ Kingdom through caste reconciliation
Truthseekers is committed to the belief that the Gospel of Jesus will destroy one of the most grievous violations of human rights still in existence – the caste system. The caste system is a hierarchy of slavery defined and justified by the religion known to the world as Hinduism. These castes live in perpetual conflict, and this conflict sharpens the lines of division between castes.
The Gospel of Jesus is centered in love and forgiveness – the key components of reconciliation. We live out this ministry of reconciliation through breaking caste barriers by eating food, drinking chai, and washing feet to mend broken dignity and restore the image of God in every human being.
India’s history is filled with people seeking Truth and rebelling against caste hierarchy. Although these historical Truthseekers pointed towards Jesus, few have taken the next step to fully embrace Him. We join them on their paths to bring India to the next step of a Truthseeker’s journey: the Kingdom of Jesus.