Graduation Souvenir
Counselor of Hindu Tradition | CHT
The CHT Class of 2021 will be remembered for a sustained effort to complete the course in the midst of COVID-19. Another significant milestone is the HCI-GTU pathway to Hindu Chaplaincy.
Kailash Joshi — HCI PresidentDistinguished Speakers
Shri Ro Khanna — US Congressman
Recognizing Exemplary Selfless Service
Reverend Seifu Anil Singh-Molares — Spiritual Directors International, for promoting global spiritual care
Dreams Take Doing
Congratulations 2021 batch of CHT. You committed yourselves to a high cause of learning to serve and put in consistent effort amidst the chaotic happenings of the past year.
Punit Mahendru — Counseling, PsychologyA Culture of Selfless Service | Karma Yoga + Om Dollars
Starting 2021, qualified CHTs are eligible for the Hindu chaplaincy pathway, in participation with the prestigious Graduate Theological Union's Interreligious Chaplaincy Program (ICP). Om$ 1.5 Million in recognized volunteer contributions since inception.
Hindu Community InstituteKarma Yoga in Selfless Learn & Serve
Partners in Selfless Service
HCI prepares you to enrich lives, with satisfaction that money cannot buy. Starting 2021, qualified CHTs are eligible for the Hindu chaplaincy pathway with GTU's Interreligious Chaplaincy Program.
Hindu Community Institute — Let Us Put Hindu Tradition to Work
Padmaja Choday
Senior IT Manager for LA County's Department of Social Services and certified yoga instructor of 15 years.
Naresh Gautam
Engineer and business administrator specializing in cloud computing and data analytics. Passionate about discovering scientific spirituality and community service.
Praveena Kala
Former bank executive and current investment strategy advisor. Maintains physical and mental health through yoga and meditation, extending this practice to chaplaincy.
Anitha Katragadda
Healthcare professional in Southern California for 26 years. A people person active in both religious and community service, working with children and the elderly.
Nandkishor Khidkikar
Instrumentation Engineer and Manager with 47 years across refineries and chemical plants in India, Kuwait, Canada, and USA. Completed Hindu chaplaincy training upon retirement.
Suchitra Krishna
Inspired to pursue Hindu chaplaincy after attending an HCI event. Brings enthusiasm for community connection and authentic spiritual engagement.
Anupma Mangla
Software Engineer in San Jose, CA. A yoga enthusiast and trained instructor from Yoga Bharati who volunteers with SJPL and teaches yoga in the San Jose community.
Kollengode Narayanan
Engineer by training with graduate education from UC Berkeley. Worked in diverse technology domains, bringing analytical thinking and diaspora experience to chaplaincy.
Uthra Natarajan
Yoga teacher for five years, currently at San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Teaches all ages and supports cancer patients and survivors through practice.
Akila Padmanabhan
Professional yoga teacher from Yoga Bharati. Interested in understanding Puranas, rich Hindu culture, and incorporating them into everyday spiritual care.
Binay Pande
Community leader bringing organizational skills and a commitment to Hindu values into spiritual care service.
Pooja Parkash
Studied Computer Science and Engineering at PEC, Chandigarh. Brings her technology background to community service and Hindu spiritual care practice.
Dr. Sanjay Patwardhan
Works in the Greater Cleveland area, bringing medical background and clinical experience to Hindu spiritual care and community wellness.
Kavita Paudwal
Indian singer specializing in devotional music. Brings artistic gifts, spiritual devotion, and a public platform to Hindu chaplaincy and community service.
Sandhya Prathap
Artist based in Atlanta. Channels creative vision and passion for painting into community spiritual care, bringing beauty to service.
Rukmini Raghunathan
Strives to learn broadly and help as many people as possible. Brings this generous, open spirit to Hindu chaplaincy and community engagement.
Priya Soma
Enjoys nature, cooking, and spiritual practice. Brings a grounded, nurturing presence to community spiritual care and family service.
Neeti Soota
Engineer in high tech who now serves as HSCI's Associate Dean. One of the first Hindu graduates of GTU's chaplaincy program, pioneering the credential pathway.
Manu Swamy
Yogini passionate about yoga and holistic living. Studied various schools of yoga and became certified through VyasaLA, integrating practice with chaplaincy.
Aparna Uppala
Community volunteer bringing dedication and service orientation to Hindu spiritual care practice.
Lalitha Vishwanath
Holds an MA in Literature from the University of Bengaluru, based in San Dimas, Southern California. Brings literary depth and cultural insight to chaplaincy.