On February 16th, Professor Vishwanath Karad, President and UNESCO Chair Holder for Human Rights, Democracy, and Tolerance as well as the Founder and Director of more than 28 colleges throughout India (including MIT), met for two hours with Nrsimhananda das, Director of Iskcon Television. Nrsimhananda das was invited to discuss the plans of himself, Yadubara das, and Janardradhi das, to produce a new biopic on the life of Tukarama.

Professor Karad promotes the necessity of spiritual education to be taught with the other subjects. He is a great proponent of the teachings of Sant Dynaeshwara and Sant Tukaram. He invited Nrsimhananda das to return for a personally-guided tour of the places of pilgrimage in Dehu, Tukarama’s village, and surrounding sites, at the end of February. Sriman S. D. Patil, a learned Tukaram devotee and Iskcon Life Member, accompanied Nrsimhananda das through the arrangement of the Honorable Dr. R. B. Thakare, another great devotee of Tukarama and Chairman of Agro-Ind & Eng Sev. (Pvt.) Ltd.

The narrative feature film will be made to the highest cinematic standards both in terms of story and style so that audiences both East and West can appreciate the great legacy of Tukaram’s life and philosophy. (In the 16th century, inspired by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Tukaram preached the glories of chanting the Holy Names to the people of the area now known as Maharastra.)