Nambudiris

[Stephens]

Dear Mr. Ganesan,

Yes, Prof. Ninan is a Syrian Christian.

Some references to St.Thomas's visit to India in the Middle Eastern/Greek
texts can be found at

www.acns.com/~mm9n/Malankara/3.htm

St. Thomas christians of India are talked about in early Christian documents
at least from about 350 A.D and the ties betweent the Indian church and the
Persian church are a established fact based on documentation from the period
350 A.D. or so. I will try to get some more specific info on this. This
still doesn't establish St. Thomas's visit, but at least the advent of
Christianity in India in the first  few hundred centuries A.D.

The translation of the copper plates can be found at

www.acns.com/~mm9n/Malankara/4.httm

I do not have access to the actual texts, but am trying to get hold of  at
least a photograph. Will let you know when I succeed.

Regards,
Sujatha