Dr. Vimal Patel, President of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS), Indiana Chapter was honored as the ‘Interfaith Ambassador of the Year’ at the Center for Interfaith Cooperation banquet in Indianapolis.
The CIC Interfaith Banquet, an annual gala event, at the historic Union Station, Indianapolis was attended by people of all faiths, including a Pagan community outreach group. This event, a confluence of diverse spiritual paths reflects the well known Upanishadic saying, “Ékaṃ sáth víprÄ bahudhÄ vadanti” – There is one Truth, the wise say it in many ways.
The 82-year-old Dr. Patel received his Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. He has been a Hoosier for over 50 years and one of the earliest Hindus to have settled in the Indianapolis area. Dr. Patel a co-founder of several organizations, notably, the exquisitely crafted Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, built according to exacting Hindu temple building traditions. He is also a board member of the Hindu University of America, Orlando, FL.
Dr. Patel, the first Hindu leader to be given this award, was recognized for his tireless efforts to reach out and build bridges with other faith leaders. According to Dr. Patel, a successful interfaith leader, “figures out what is the most cherished value in each faith and brings it out so that it connects us all”.
At this event the audience got a glimpse of the nationwide traveling poster exhibition, ‘Darshana: a glimpse into the Hindu civilization’. This exhibition portrays the ‘Hindu way of life,’ which is a product of the Hindu Civilization, born and nurtured in the womb of the Indian subcontinent for over 5000 years.
Darshana is a display of 25 posters with carefully selected topics from Hindu Dharma representing its antiquity and continuity. Attractive illustrations and lucid descriptions engage and excite audiences of all age groups. One finds that there is bound to be a topic that matches their interest and piques curiosity to learn more, from an array of 25 topics related to Yoga, Ayurveda, Dharma, mathematics, architecture, arts, sciences, traditional attire, present-day global impact, to name a few.
“I had no idea that this exhibition is not just about Hindu spirituality”, quipped one attendee. This comment is a reflection of the common perception that material and spiritual ambitions have separate and disconnected paths which is quite contrary to the ‘Hindu way of life.’ Well, how so? ‘Hindu way of life’ sees divinity in all of creation and teaches us to practice spirituality through even, the most mundane chores of daily life. Underlying all of this prolific and organic growth in every realm of material and philosophical pursuits of mankind is the fertile substratum of the ‘Hindu way of life.’
Hundreds of hours of research have gone into content development. A focus group consisting of Indian-American teenagers and young adults provided invaluable feedback, which helped refine the content and enhance the aesthetic quality of these posters.
The Hindu New Year, April 2, 2022, has been earmarked for the formal launch of Darshana, inviting community and interfaith leaders, law enforcement officials, local media, officers of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion groups, and educators, among others, to grace the occasion.
“This exhibit helps introduce Hindus and non-Hindus to learn more about Hindu civilization, to learn more about Vedic culture, to learn more about how we can aspire to come together to learn a faith and work together to solve problems that will help all of us and will help future generations.” — Commented an attendee at the CIC Interfaith Banquet
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Contact:
Vikas Deshpande
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA
973-500-8477
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.
Dr. Vimal Patel, President of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS), Indiana Chapter was honored as the ‘Interfaith Ambassador of the Year’ at the Center for Interfaith Cooperation banquet in Indianapolis. The CIC Interfaith Banquet, an annual gala event, at the historic Union Station, Indianapolis was attended by people of all faiths, including a Pagan community outreach group. This event, a confluence of diverse spiritual paths reflects the well known Upanishadic saying, “Ékaṃ sáth víprÄ bahudhÄ vadanti” – There is one Truth, the wise say it in many ways. The 82-year-old Dr. Patel received his Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. He has been a Hoosier for over 50 years and one of the earliest Hindus to have settled in the Indianapolis area. Dr. Patel a co-founder of several organizations, notably, the exquisitely crafted Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, built according to exacting Hindu temple building traditions. He is also a board member of the Hindu University of America, Orlando, FL. Dr. Patel, the first Hindu leader to be given this award, was recognized for his tireless efforts to reach out and build bridges with other faith leaders. According to Dr. Patel, a successful interfaith leader, “figures out what is the most cherished value in each faith and brings it out so that it connects us all”. At this event the audience got a glimpse of the nationwide traveling poster exhibition, ‘Darshana: a glimpse into the Hindu civilization’. This exhibition portrays the ‘Hindu way of life,’ which is a product of the Hindu Civilization, born and nurtured in the womb of the Indian subcontinent for over 5000 years. Darshana is a display of 25 posters with carefully selected topics from Hindu Dharma representing its antiquity and continuity. Attractive illustrations and lucid descriptions engage and excite audiences of all age groups. One finds that there is bound to be a topic that matches their interest and piques curiosity to learn more, from an array of 25 topics related to Yoga, Ayurveda, Dharma, mathematics, architecture, arts, sciences, traditional attire, present-day global impact, to name a few. “I had no idea that this exhibition is not just about Hindu spirituality”, quipped one attendee. This comment is a reflection of the common perception that material and spiritual ambitions have separate and disconnected paths which is quite contrary to the ‘Hindu way of life.’ Well, how so? ‘Hindu way of life’ sees divinity in all of creation and teaches us to practice spirituality through even, the most mundane chores of daily life. Underlying all of this prolific and organic growth in every realm of material and philosophical pursuits of mankind is the fertile substratum of the ‘Hindu way of life.’ Hundreds of hours of research have gone into content development. A focus group consisting of Indian-American teenagers and young adults provided invaluable feedback, which helped refine the content and enhance the aesthetic quality of these posters. The Hindu New Year, April 2, 2022, has been earmarked for the formal launch of Darshana, inviting community and interfaith leaders, law enforcement officials, local media, officers of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion groups, and educators, among others, to grace the occasion. “This exhibit helps introduce Hindus and non-Hindus to learn more about Hindu civilization, to learn more about Vedic culture, to learn more about how we can aspire to come together to learn a faith and work together to solve problems that will help all of us and will help future generations.” — Commented an attendee at the CIC Interfaith Banquet ### Contact: Vikas Deshpande Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA 973-500-8477 [email protected] Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.