My Journey to Hindu Chaplaincy through HSCI: Connecting Back to My Roots Through a Global Sangha

I am honored to be one of the initial cohort of inter-religious Hindu chaplains anywhere. A couple of years ago, I never thought I would embark on this journey in a society so different from where I started my life. My great-grandparents served as indentured laborers in South Africa in the 1880s. As a fourth-generation Indian out of India, I have no direct personal links with India. Yet, the flame of Hindu Dharma passed down from my ancestors enabled us to thrive despite the apartheid regime. My upbringing was deeply rooted in Hindu spirituality. This cultural coherence helped our community preserve our traditions and support each other spiritually. Later, while working as a genetics career scientist, I pursued formal education in spiritual care after migrating to Australia.

Joining HSCI and completing the Counselor of Hindu Tradition (CHT) course provided valuable insights. Right from the onset, all learners in the CHT course were welcomed into the HSCI network and encouraged to pursue their spiritual care aims. We were able to connect at the global level and formed new professional collaborations and friendships. Local group work via Zoom facilitated shared experiences. Where else can you have five generations of Hindus from six countries in the same class with the same purpose of learning to serve the community?

Armed with basic knowledge and confidence, I could offer spiritual care in the aged care sector. I was also motivated to work more intently with people from culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the professional setting. Later, the fellowships from the Motwani Jadeja Foundation (MJF) facilitated the entry of Hindus into the Inter-religious Chaplaincy (ICP) course at GTU, Berkeley, CA, USA.

As the leading theological university, GTU has pioneered inter-religious chaplaincy, and HSCI has been in lock-step with it.

The ICP trained us in trauma-informed care, spiritual counseling, spiritual care for marginalized communities, and compassionate care across faith traditions. In these courses, we learned to apply interventional models of spiritual care to care seekers from diverse backgrounds. It is a unique and valuable experience to be exposed to different spiritual systems and beliefs firsthand from participants in the course. My entry into hospital chaplaincy was a natural step while working in a hospital where I care for people from all walks of life and have the most uplifting spiritual conversations.

In 2022, I was invited to become one of the Hindu Chaplaincy Resource Center (HCRC) co-chairs. This knowledge center aims to support both students and practitioners of chaplaincy worldwide. A strong peer network of Hindu chaplains is essential as Hindu chaplaincy finds its global foothold.

The growth of formal Hindu chaplaincy programs and pathways to recognition and certification will allow us to participate in and support the Hindu diaspora in all walks of life and serve the needs of the broader society.