Friends of HUA Gala, Houston; March 26, 2023

Hindu University of America (HUA) in association with Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) hosted a Friends of HUA Gala evening on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at VPSS Haveli in Houston. Close to 500 Members of the Houston community attended the amazing event.  

The Gala opened with Deep Prajwalan or the auspicious lighting of the lamp. This was followed by a scintillating music performance by HUA faculty Dr Kanniks Kannikeswaran, and his ensemble of Hindu classical music singers accompanied by western music instrumentalists who set the right tone for the rest of the evening. He engaged the audience in the performance by having them hum along as well as sing some of the lyrics, for which he received a standing ovation. 

Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran with a musical ensemble delivered a scintillating performance.

The musical performance was followed by a short video on HUA’s courses and programs, as well as voices and experiences of students and faculty. Dr. Raj Vedam and Sri Chandra Raghu, both Houston-based faculty members of HUA shared their thoughts as well.

The highlight of the evening was the speech by Sri Ramesh Bhutada where he talked about why he chose to support HUA. He said, “Even though I was born and brought up in a traditional Hindu family, and I had grown up as a Hindu with many prominent Hindu organizations, traditions and groups, I did not really understand the essence of Hindu Dharma. It took 60 years for me to recognize the silver spoon that I was born with i.e., to understand the true essence of Hindu Dharma: it teaches us how to live in harmony within ourselves, with our family, friends and colleagues, and with the entire world. Other universities may impart knowledge for students to earn a livelihood. Only an institution like HUA can impart Hindu knowledge that teaches the student how to live their life!”

Sri Ramesh Bhutada emphasized that he does not want the next generation of Hindus to take as long as he did. He urged the attendees to support HUA so that the youth of today and tomorrow can gain the knowledge and understanding of Hinduism much earlier in life, enabling them to live happy, productive lives for themselves and for the benefit of the entire world. 

With his own personal stories as well as stories from the Hindu American community, Sri Ramesh Bhutada explained to the attendees that traditional Hindu upbringing and teaching about Hinduism within the family and home environment alone would not be sufficient. He said, “Knowledge imparted by established educational institutions in the modern academic setting is critical to ensure the younger generations understand and apply Hinduism in their lives. 

Ramesh Bhutada Speaks at Friends of HUA Houston Gala

Sri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of HUA said, “We all need to come together to build a Hindu University that lasts a 1000 Years! Like the Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur which has stood strong for over 1000 years, or like the Nalanda University that was a beacon to the world for 1700 years before it was destroyed.” He added, “Over the next five years, HUA aspires to become self-sustaining, and establish itself as a shared platform for all Hindu traditions and organizations to offer their teachings.” 

Sri Ved Nanda, Chairman of the HUA Board added, “HUA will seek to become an authoritative voice in the academic domain for all matters pertaining to Hindu Dharma, not only in the United States, but also globally.” He invited friends and well-wishers from all Hindu-American organizations, community leaders and members to support the efforts of HUA in becoming a leading hub for Hindu knowledge and learning. He proclaimed that the institution belongs to the entire Hindu community.

Mr Robert Boustany, Houston-based Physicist and Yoga Instructor, said, “The awareness dinner of the Hindu University of America highlighted the necessity of all our Seva in developing an educational system true to the deepest history of India in order to preserve that wisdom and value for our children and grandchildren!” Sri Rasesh Dalal, Chairman of HGH Board of Advisors, said, “Hindus can make wonders  when they work diligently with unity. The success of the HUA event is a live example!” Ahimsa Yukta, a freshman at University of Texas, Dallas, who participated in the event as an MC, said that the HUA’s motto - "That is knowledge which liberates, was so inspiring, that I am motivated to take a course at the university.”  

The event was hosted at VPSS Haveli, who provided a great venue and delicious dinner. Excellent volunteer support was provided by members of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Houston. 

You may support and participate in HUA’s mission by going to: http://hua.edu/Houston

HUA Board Members (from left to right): Dr. Yelloji Mirajkar, Dr. Jashvant Patel, Suresh Gupta, Dr. Ved Nanda, Ramesh Bhutada, President of HUA Kalyan Viswanathan, Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, Narsimha Reddy Koppula, and Dr. Gopi Vasudevan.

About Hindu University of America (HUA)

Hindu University of America was founded with the vision of promoting dialogue across disciplines, cultures and civilizations while enabling self-discovery, conscious evolution, and harmony. Its mission is to provide education in knowledge systems based in Hindu thought involving critical inquiry, ethics, and self-reflection. Committed to fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma in an atmosphere of academic excellence and freedom, it prepares students for service, leadership, and global engagement.

Since Oct 2019, more than 2600 students have taken courses at HUA and close to 75 students are currently enrolled in Master’s and Doctoral programs. HUA currently offers 15 different continuing education programs with over 150 courses taught by more than 70 faculty members. The motto of HUA is that Vidya or true Knowledge is that which liberates. 

Established in 1989 and authorized by the Govt. of Florida in 1993, HUA has been offering online courses since 2019 in various aspects of Hindu Dharma, tradition and culture. For more information, please visit www.hua.edu or contact +1-407-205-2118.