The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a global religious community also known as the Hare Krishna Movement. ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya, a monotheistic tradition within the broader Vedic, or Hindu, family of faith and cultural traditions
ISKCON’s system of belief and practice is based on the Бхагавад-гита, “The Song of God,” which, according to tradition, is 5,000 years old. The speaker of this sacred text is Lord Krishna, who is revered as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The text explains what is the soul, God, the systems of yoga, karma, and reincarnation. It proclaims that the ultimate goal of life is to develop love of God, which is most easily realized in this age through the practice of bhakti-yoga, the science of devotional service.
In the 16th century, a Bengali saint and avatar, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revitalized the bhakti-yoga tradition across India. Central to this renaissance was Chaitanya’s emphasis on the chanting of Krishna’s name. Underlying this simple practice was a profound, intellectually comprehensive theology.
In 1965, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left India, and at the age of 70 traveled to America under the order of his teacher, to propagate Krishna consciousness in the western world. He opened his first temple in New York City in 1966, and from a humble storefront presence, ISKCON has grown to be a vibrant global community of temples, rural projects, educational institutes, congregations and vegetarian restaurants.
At ISKCON News, our mission is to be a reliable, balanced, and timely source of news about, and of interest to the devotees, friends, and people interested in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. To that end, we strive to provide visitors with insightful and thought-provoking news and opinion via quality writing, photographic, audio, and video media. It is our conviction that such a resource will help to create a more well-informed and connected citizenry within ISKCON, and thus positively impact ISKCON’s ability to carry out its mission.
Ануттама дас Editor-in Chief, Global Minister ISKCON Communications & GBC member Anuttama Das has been a member of ISKCON since 1975. He currently serves as the International Director of Communications and as a member of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) for the society. He also serves on the Board of the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium and is active in several interfaith initiatives in Washington, D.C., including the Religion Communicators Council. He and his wife, Rukmini, live in Rockville, Maryland, USA. | |
Kumari Kunti Dasi Creative Director Kumari Kunti Dasi is a second-generation Hare Krishna devotee raised in Hawai’i. She currently serves as ISKCON Communications North America Co-Director. Kumari is trained as a Grant Management professional and is currently working on her Ph.D in Global NPO Management. She has a BA from Bhaktivedanta College in Vaishnava Theology, a BA in Journalism, and MSc. in NPO Management. Kumari Kunti’s particular interest is in youth development. She lives in Toronto, Canada. | |
Ajita Das Head of Fundraising & Special Projects Ajita Das is the Managing Director & Startup Mentor at Kolkata Ventures, 4 Times TEDx and a Guest Lecturer at a multitude of universities globally. | |
Томас Харибол Managing Editor, Social Media Director Bhakta Thomas was introduced to Krishna Consciousness in 2015. He brings over 20 years of experience in writing, communications, administration, and publishing to ISKCON News. He holds two degrees in Philosophy (USA, Italy) and did his graduate studies in Theology. Prior to ISKCON News, he served as Director of Communications for New Vrindaban, where he managed social media, served on several tourism boards representing The Palace of Gold, and worked as a liaison with local organizations and county associations. He is currently based in Idaho. | |
Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi hails from Kolkata, India. She holds a Master’s degree in History and has completed a Post Graduate Program in Strategic Digital Marketing. Her spiritual journey began in 2019 after being inspired by a lecture of Srila Prabhupada on YouTube. She was later initiated in 2023 by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. Actively engaged in girls youth preaching at ISKCON Kolkata, she is passionate about sharing Krishna Consciousness with younger generations. After starting as an intern at ISKCON News, she now serves part-time as a Staff Writer, contributing her skills and dedication to spreading the message of Krishna Consciousness globally. | |
Atma Tattva Das Atma Tattva Das (Angell M. Nthoi) was raised in Orapa, Botswana. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a focus on Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising, Graphic Design, Strategic Human Resources Management, and English. Towards the end of his studies in 2005, he encountered the devotees on campus and later received initiation from His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami in 2010. With his innate creativity, Atma Tattva composes beats, recording and performing his poetry as part of a dynamic Krishna Conscious preaching initiative. Additionally, he curates and distributes Quiddity Concept Magazine; a collaborative platform that promotes Krishna conscious creativity. At present, he resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. |
For more information please contact: editor@iskconnews.org