Participants in the June 5 virtual graduation ceremony
Hicksville, New York (hint): In a recent news reaching Indian Panorama, Sujata Seth reported that Chinmaya International Foundation held the first graduation ceremony of its Certificate in Hindu Spiritual Care on June 5. The program celebrated a milestone with the graduation of its inaugural class of 11 students, the first to complete the certificate program. More than 50 more students are in the process of graduating. The ceremony was held online at 9:30 pm EST during the final session of the Rites, Ceremonies and Vedanta course taught by Brahmachari Ved Chaitanya (Br. Vedg).
Graduates from across the U.S. and Canada, Ashlesh Dani and Bina Dani (Poughkeepsie, NY), Hema Ramanathan (Plymouth-Canton, MI), Indira Palekar (Cleveland), Meenakshi Venkataramani (Boston), Pradeep Solanki (Toronto), Rakhi Khanna (Chicago), Ravi Iyer (Houston), Sangamesh Konaradi (Frederick, MD), Sonali Dave (Dallas) and Soumya Kesari (Acton, MA), were commended for their efforts in this first-ever comprehensive training program in Hindu spiritual care (chaplaincy).
The students took courses in Hindu spiritual traditions, the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta philosophy, Indian psychology, Hindu rituals and ceremonies, ethical principles and competencies for chaplains, communication skills, etc. They completed their studies with a chaplaincy placement in a health care facility or other institution.
Guest speaker Swami Shantanandaji, Chairman, Chinmaya Mission West, praised the graduates for their dedication to serving their communities through spiritual care. “By blending ancient wisdom with modern medical needs, you are ambassadors who are illuminating the way for the integration of Hindu spiritual care into diverse settings,” he said.
“We are extremely proud of this pioneering group of graduates,” said CIF President Rev. Vedji. “Their dedication to providing compassionate spiritual support while embodying Hindu values in professional clinical settings is truly inspiring.”
CHSC Program Director Vilasini Balakrishnan praised Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji as the visionary and inspiration behind the program. Gurudev founded CIF in 1989 to bridge the gap between East and West, science and spirituality, and the Hindu priesthood system has helped to fulfill this role. The graduates expressed their gratitude to the outstanding faculty of lecturers, including Dr. Ramesh Patni from London, UK, and Dr. Madhu Sharma from Raleigh, North Carolina, for the opportunity to be a part of this groundbreaking educational initiative. The graduates look forward to pursuing careers in Hindu spiritual care as volunteers or as professionals in healthcare, academia, the military, and the community.
The Hindu Spiritual Care Certificate will be offered as an annual, 18-month, part-time online course to meet the growing demand for Hindu chaplains who can offer a Hindu religious and philosophical perspective to help people navigate life’s challenges.
For more information, visit https://chinfo.org/hinduspiritualcare
or www.Chinfo.org/all-courses/hindu-spiritual-care/
(Based on a press release issued by Sujata Seth on June 14)
