Hindu Identity Challenges and Opportunities

1. Shri. Kalyan Vishwanathan - an introduction

Shri. Kalyan Viswanathan has a Master’s Degree in Computers and Information Science, Ohio State University. Prior to that he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan. Currently, he is a Global Practice Director with Tata Consultancy Services and is based in Dallas, USA. He is also currently the President of Sanatana Dharma Foundation (SDF), Dallas, Texas which was established in 2007. SDF has made many contributions to the promotion of Hindu Identity including holding major conferences and educational seminars on Sanatana Dharma. Shri. Kalyan Viswanathan has published articles and research papers, most notably his paper exploring the limits of Ahimsa as a tool for political change presented at the WAVES conference in Orlando in 2008. Sanatana Dharma Foundation has been running a 2-hour, weekly radio program on Hinduism, its values and issues in Dallas for over three years now, and also pioneered the creation of a "Hindu Unity Day" in Dallas. In addition SDF has made numerous charitable contributions to organizations in India, to support under-privileged children in rural and tribal areas of India in order to integrate them into mainstream society through access to a modern education.

2. Speech on the occasion of the Hinduism Summit at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago

With the blessings of the Saints and Shrīkrushṇa, Forum For Hindu Awakening (FHA) and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) held the first Hinduism Summit in Chicago, on Adhik Vaishakh Shukla Ekadashi (April 24th 2010) at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Illinois USA.

Shri Kalyan Vishwanathan of the Sanatana Dharma Foundation came to speak to the attendees of this Hinduism Summit all the way from Dallas. He volunteered to do that because of the importance he gives to Hinduism conferences and need for Hindus to establish a significant media presence and develop leaders well-versed in Dharma. In his speech he said that unified action of Hindus is a bit difficult because of the fragmented identity of Hindus today like through different linguistic groups, jatis, sampradays, Gurus, Acharyas, etc. He suggested five shared spaces: Academia, Media, Leadership, Networking, and Youth. That spirituality must be brought into the academic domain and chairs of Hindu studies must be founded in many Universities. The youth born today should be grounded in Dharma. The audience found the speech very interesting. 

3. Preserving, Promoting, and Practicing Dharma The Bhagavad Geeta Way