The Hindu Chaplaincy Resource Center (HCRC): A Global Hub for Spiritual Care Excellence

HCRC is the serving arm of the Hindu Spiritual Care Institute (HSCI), providing a beacon of support and knowledge for compassionate spiritual guidance across religious boundaries. We offer authentic, contemporary information and guidance on Hindu chaplaincy, education, training, and practice to a global audience. Our resources are accessible to HSCI members and individuals from other traditions, fostering inclusive learning and growth.

While HCRC functions as the service and knowledge repository, HSCI's learning arm offers Counselor of Hindu Tradition (CHT) and Hindu Chaplaincy Pathway (HCP) courses, creating a comprehensive ecosystem for spiritual care education and practice.

Functions of HCRC

• Library and Archive: Repository for HSCI documents and knowledge assets.
• Kutumba Journal: Platform for spiritual care education and knowledge dissemination.
• TrayaCare Platform: Tele-chaplaincy and tele-visit services technology platform.
• Mentoring & Guidance: Information on chaplaincy education and practices.
• Membership and Access: Open to HSCI Sangha, scholars, and upon request, to the general public. Our knowledge assets include books, papers and journals, case studies, interfaith chaplaincy protocols, and materials on Hindu traditions and related subjects.

Where We Can Help

• Access to extensive knowledge assets
• Guidance & mentoring on Hindu chaplaincy education and practice
• Referrals to valuable digital assets
• Volunteer opportunities at HCRC

Our goal is to support all those engaged in offering spiritual care. We invite you to explore our resources and join us in advancing compassionate spiritual care in our diverse world. We also welcome donations in support of the HCRC mission at our website: hsciglobal.org.

For more information or to get involved, please contact us at community@hinduci.org.

HCRC Co-Chairs 2023-25

Sudha Bhat, BTech, MBA (CHT-ICP scholar)
Zachary Ginder, PsyD, MSW (CHT-ICP scholar)

Past HCRC Chairs

Nisha Singh, PhD 2022-23 (CHT-ICP scholar)
Usha Narasimhan LLB, MBA 2022-23 (CHT-ICP scholar)

---

Spiritual Care Where and When Needed: The Innovative HSCI TrayaCare Platform

Everyone needs access to Spiritual Care, but current models of in-person engagement mean that these services are limited in time, space, and demographics. Imagine getting a trained counselor to work with you wherever you are, in your language, and at any time of the day!

HSCI dreams of making spiritual care available worldwide by deploying chaplains and trained service providers. We have developed a technology platform to make spiritual care support available to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection. Services on this platform can include chaplaincy, social visits, mentoring, guidance, and small workshops.

The value proposition: HSCI has organized service providers after selection, training, and a formal onboarding process. Real-time feedback from both receivers and providers assures quality and user satisfaction.

Tradition: The platform hosts faith-based and secular services, keeping with the Hindu theology of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or the universe is one family. HSCI will, therefore, welcome chaplains, counselors, and experts from all traditions and fields to serve their communities. Smaller and underserved diaspora traditions, such as Sikh, Jain, and Parsi, would find such a shared platform attractive and affordable. It is anticipated that the HSCI platform will also attract a growing number of individuals who do not affiliate with any particular religion.

Trust: The providers conduct these sessions as social visits to support the receiver of care. The service receiver can also invite family and friends to participate from anywhere.

Technology: Anyone who needs help can scan a QR code with their phone. Once we understand their needs (after a brief call), we assign them a service provider sensitive to their cultural and language needs. We then send a scheduling message on WhatsApp, and at the right time, both parties join the video call from their smartphone or computer. This is a highly reliable, secure, and confidential space for conversations that is available without downloads or advanced technical know-how. You can see it at work at https://bit.ly/SeeOmChaplain.

Tele visits and conversations will provide care and support in modern times, similar to olden times when joint families and community living offered continued support.