The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition has much to offer to our contemporary world. The tradition’s age-old theology about divine love, interpersonal relationships, and the ethical principles of humility and forbearance – these truths can speak to some of the most urgent challenges of our time. Indeed, for a tradition to survive, even thrive, we must be able to articulate and apply its theology in a way that is relevant to each new generation.

When I came to Oxford at the age of seventeen, the faculty and staff of the OCHS helped me articulate a vision for my own future – an aspiration for lifelong learning and service – and provided me with the resources I needed to build on that vision, including libraries, lectures and seminars, research opportunities, housing, mentorship, and community. Ever since that formative experience, I have spent my years attempting to give back to others what I received.

I now teach Hinduism at an American university, run a large department of History and Religious Studies, write on Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theology, and deliver public lectures around the world. In all of this, I continue to be inspired by the work of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.