My Journey from Science to Spiritual Care: My Experience as the First Hindu Chaplain in Australian Defence
From a young age, I was always fascinated by science and spirituality. My interest in Hindu texts led me to research and study them extensively. Driven by my passion for genetics, I pursued a PhD in molecular biology in 2000, where I had the opportunity to support patients in palliative care and end-of-life (EOL) support activities.
When I moved to Townsville, Queensland, for my postdoc research, I had the opportunity to mentor and provide pastoral support to medical and PhD students. As a university Chaplain, I supported international students.
In Queensland, I volunteered with the North Queensland Hindu Community (NQHC Inc), for over 13 years and conducted numerous seminars for the Hindu community. We also implemented changes in the approach to dealing with death, palliative and EOL support in a Hindu context.
I moved to Melbourne during the COVID-19 and continued my community service by volunteering for various organizations. The Hindu Council of Australia endorsed me as a chaplain within the tertiary education sector, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad endorsed me to become a chaplain within the Australian Defence Force (ADF). After a year-long selection, I was appointed the first female Hindu chaplain in the ADF Army. It was a blessed day to take the oath in the presence of my mother, who has been a strong pillar of support throughout my life, and I was proud to show her that I am helping the broader community through my passion for Hindu spirituality.
It was a blessed day to take the oath as the first female Hindu chaplain in the Australian Defence Force Army, in the presence of my mother, who has been a strong pillar of support throughout my life.
Until now, I have conducted all my spiritual and emotional care activities without formal training or knowledge of institutionalized spiritual care by trained counselors or chaplains. The Australian Defence Force has an increasing number of Hindus, and there is a clear need for Dharmic support and spiritual practices.
To further my training, I enrolled in a Clinical Pastoral Education course as part of becoming an ADF chaplain. However, I realized the need for a Hindu Spiritual Care-focused course, as the Clinical Pastoral Education course was based on a Christian framework.
I was introduced to HSCI by a graduate and decided to enroll in the CHT program. HSCI's CHT program was an eye-opener for me. The knowledgeable faculty, the vast resources they have compiled, and the connections with the peer group I received through the program were immensely helpful. Being part of the CHT program gave me the confidence to practice as a chaplain within the ADF. Without a local organization to interact with and find answers to my questions, the opportunity to engage with pioneers in the field through the CHT program has been invaluable as I embark on my journey as an ADF chaplain.