Kutumba · Journal of Spiritual Care

Graduation Souvenir

CHT Cohort 2 Graduation

Volume 2020 | 2020

Class of 2020

Counselor of Hindu Tradition | CHT

Graduation Day — Sunday, August 16, 2020 • Global Online Ceremony

The CHT Class of 2020 graduated via a historic global online ceremony — the first virtual graduation reflecting HCI's resilience during COVID-19. With 28 graduates from diverse professional backgrounds, this cohort demonstrated that the virtuous cycle of learning and serving continues even in the most challenging times.

We celebrate and congratulate CHT Class of 2020. We kept our sight on our goals and lifted our targets, while dealing with COVID-19. Our new wellness program "Community for Immunity" also has received heart-warming accolades.

Kailash Joshi — HCI President

From Resident Faculty Members

Karma Yoga in Selfless Learn & Serve

Gaurav Rastogi — HCI Dean, Hindu Tradition

We are all born with an innate ability to walk, but still, each of us has had to learn to walk; It is our nature to Serve, and yet, there are very few avenues to learn to serve. Learning to Serve is a lifelong gift that enriches each of us. Dharayati Iti Dharma, dharma is that which holds everything together.

Living in Harmony

Mangala Kumar — Systems, Processes

We share the world with all creations — live and inanimate, natural and manmade, visible and invisible. Living in harmony with the world requires love, understanding, and above all, compassion. Community service is one path that allows us to learn, practice, teach and experience Compassion.

Desire to serve is a blessing and ability to serve a privilege. HCI teaches us the skills to serve well.

Punit Mahendru, Ph.D. — Counseling, Psychology

Privileged to Be Part of HCI Sangha

Mukund Acharya — Compassionate Care & Services

We are privileged to be part of this HCI Sangha; to know one another and learn from one another. Our association is accentuated by special celebrations such as today, by pride in our Scholars' graduation and by our anticipation that each of you will continue to touch the community in your own special way.

Mission: Enhance Wellness & Quality of Life

Three Community Programs

Learning to Serve: CHT Course for professionals • Volunteer Services: Free guidance on Hindu traditions, life events, last rites, celebrations • Wellness Community: Free daily yoga/meditation classes with 60+ participants through Community For Immunity (CFI)

CHT Class of 2020 — Congratulations!

Vijay Aggarwal
Arti Damani
Savita Garg
Pallavi Gautam
Bala Iyer
Kranti Kapre
Sudha Kargi
Vasudev Kargi
Ashis Khan
Rashmi Khedkar
Shobha Krishna
Arathi Maganti
Srinath Maganti
Sanmay Mukhopadhyay
Shobana Nandan
Urmil Narang
Usha Narasimhan
Neil Persad
Minakshi Rai
Satyajit Rai
Sabita Rajasekar
Shanthi Ravi
Neelam Sethi
Minakshi Srivastava
Saurabh Srivastava
Anjana Warudkar

Scholar Profiles

Scholar

Vijay Aggarwal

CA, C&WA

I am an accountant by profession. Currently I serve on the Boards of SDK Temple and Braj Cultural and Arts Society. I volunteer at Kaiser Permanente and Sewa International. I am passionate about serving the community. "Service to others" is the motto of my life. The HCI/CHT program provides a unique platform to learn and serve the community.

Savita Garg

MA, BEd

I am a Hindi teacher working with a nonprofit organization. Through this year-long course at HCI, I have deepened my knowledge of the rich Hindu samskaras system, festivals, traditions and philosophy within Bhagavad Gita. I also learnt about Advance Health Care Directive, POLST etc. With all the knowledge gained in this course, I am better prepared to serve the community.

Pallavi Gautam

Physical Therapist, Gayatri Pariwar

I am a Physical Therapist by training and currently working in the Clinical research field. Thanks to HCI's class, I learned how to bring a compassionate presence to my fellow beings at home, workplace among friends as well as to the community looking for advice in different stages of life. I learned to serve from Hindu Community Institute with active listening, empathy, compassion.

Seeking spiritual understanding from an interfaith perspective, HCI has given me a new set of tools and knowledge of the Hindu culture to share and volunteer with the community.

Kranti Kapre — Spiritual Seeker

Teaching Associates 2019–2020

Karma Yoga in Selfless Learn & Serve

Anil Diddi (SGS Lead) • Ganapathy Swami (Registrar) • Latha Vasan (TA Chair, CFI Program Dir.) • Bhavna Desai • Manju Gupta • Anoop Kumar • Raju Rayasam • Sushma Srivastava • Sreerama Krishna Yetchina

Faculty and Leadership

Partners in Selfless Service

Resident Faculty: Mukund Acharya PhD, Kailash Joshi PhD, Mangala Kumar, Punit Mahendru PhD, Gaurav Rastogi • Distinguished Lectures: Subhash Kak PhD (Vedic Centuries), Yogacharya Uma O'Brien (Purushartha), Rita Sherma PhD (Hinduism in America), Sw. Svatmavidyananda PhD (Meditation) • 16,900 Volunteer Hours since inception

We gratefully thank all visiting-and-guest faculty, specialists and Teaching Associates who help make the CHT course so very rich in content and depth. Dreams Take Doing.

Hindu Community Institute

Editorial Board

Hindu Spiritual Care Institute

journal@hinduci.com

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