BERKELEY, Calif. – An Indian American couple has pledged $4.6 million to establish a Hindu Studies program at the new Center for Dharma Studies in Berkeley, Calif., which was launched Dec. 5.
The Center for Dharma Studies, which will be housed in the Graduate Theological Union near the UC Berkeley campus, is the first of its kind in North America, Prof. Purushottama Bilimoria, assistant director and senior lecturer at the Center, told India-West.
San Francisco, Calif., Bay Area couple Dr. Ajay and Mira Shingal have pledged to create an endowment fund that will create the Mira and AjayShingalCenter for Dharma Studies. The GTU offers a certificate, M.A., and Ph.D. concentrations in Hindu Studies. Seminars in the program examine Hindu theology, classical and modern Hindu literature, Indian philosophy and ethics, Hindu arts, yoga and other facets of the religion.
Ajay Shingal – a Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur – said in a press statement announcing the endowment: “I have two kids, they don’t go to the temple without us. I truly believe if we want these temples to survive, our kids have to be very grounded in their religion through education.”
“To me the biggest contribution one can make is the gift of education; I truly believe that the institution we are forming at GTU will be transformative in its impact,” said Shingal, who serves on the Board of Trustees of the Dharma Civilization Foundation.
Mira Shingal – an entrepreneur in the fashion, financial services and hospitality industries – said: “From childhood I have studied Hinduism; have read scriptures; I have been immersed in it; and I appreciate the beauty of this wonderful world of thought and philosophy.”
“In the Hindu community we have not understood the importance of academically studying the faith that we belong to, and producing scholars who are also practitioners who understand the depth and meaning of this great and wonderful legacy that we have. We have not understood the need for accredited scholars that can speak about Hinduism with authority in this country,” she said.
GTU president Dr. Riess Potterveld said: “As you think globally, and culturally, it is clear: here is a massive India with its ancient traditions. How could you study religion and not have them at the table.”
“This gift from Mira and Ajay Shingal enables the Graduate Theological Union to expand the representation of the world’s great religious traditions at this consortium and create a robust and singular place for scholars, students, and the public to engage one another to build deep mutual understanding and promote the common good,” said Potterveld.
Applauding the historic gift, Shiva Bajpai, a renowned historian and president of the Dharma Civilization Foundation, observed: “Our philosophy is ‘the concord, rather than the clash, of civilizations. The GTU is a perfect place for promoting this.”
“We invite the Indo-American community to get engaged with this historic vision and contribute towards its fulfillment,” said Bajpai.
Kalyan Viswanathan, executive vice president of the Dharma Civilization Foundation, who spearheaded the endowment, said: “It is my hope that this gift is a beginning, and that many more members of the wealthy Indian community will follow and make the Center for Dharma studies at GTU a great place for the creation of a community of scholar-practitioners, from many Dharma traditions.”
Source: http://goo.gl/VTnVJM
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