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NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline OCTOBER 15, 2021 | The Indian Eye 41

hindu university of america awards an

honorary doctoral degree to padma bhushan anupam

Kher, at a graduation ceremony in new york city

our Bureau Chairman of the Board of Trust- class of MA Sanskrit students Dr. Jashvant Patel, Mem-
Orlando, FL ees, Padma Bhushan Prof. Ved deeply appreciated the precious ber of the Board of Trustees
Nanda students. He welcomed gift that they now possessed, of HUA, and the Chair of the
indu University of and commended the gradu- i.e., a direct access to the Shas- Finance committee of HUA,
America awarded Mas- ating students as well as the tras that contained the Hindu conferred the honorary Doctor
Hter of Arts in Sanskrit chief guest of the event, . Shri knowledge systems. of Philosophy to Shri Anupam
Degrees, and other Masters Anupam Kher. Dr. Nanda said Swami Sarvapriyananda, the Kher, and recognized his ex-
and Doctoral Degrees in Hindu that America was very recep- resident Swami and head of the traordinary contributions to the
Studies and Yoga, to 12 of its tive to Hindu ideas and thought, Vedanta Society of New York world of art, films, and culture,
graduating students at a Grad- and that he was confident that City, was also a featured speak- and in particular to world cin-
uation Ceremony on Saturday, Hindu University is on its way er at the event. He spoke about ema. Dr. Patel spoke of Shri
September 18, 2021 at the Mar- to fulfilling the expectations of the need for the ‘Hindu com- Anupam Kher’s courageous
riott Marquis, Times Square, not only the immigrant Hindu munity to build institutions that and righteous stand for Hindu
New York, In addition, Hin- community, but also of many can transmit Santana Dharma philosophy and thought, adding
du University of America also other Americans. The students, systematically to the next gen- that ‘the world may not know
awarded an Honorary Doctoral who received their degrees to eration of Hindu Americans.’ this – but Anupam Kher began
Degree in Hindu Studies to An- appreciative applause, spoke He added that ‘Hindus in North his life in great adversity when
upam Kher. briefly but movingly about the America have been great tem- he and his family had to leave
The event began with Bha- gift of knowledge that they ple builders… but the younger Kashmir valley under difficult
jans and dignified Vedic chant- had received from their teach- generation is interested in the circumstances and start life
ing and was addressed by the ers and guides. The graduating meaning and philosophy behind afresh in a new town. And his
the rituals… it is good that Hin- journey from Shimla to Chan-
dus have made large donations digarh, to Mumbai, and then
to Harvard and Columbia, but to USA, is a true inspiration for
when you make a contribution millions of people worldwide.’
to Hindu University of Ameri- Anupam Kher who attend-
ca, it is a matter of great merit, ed the event in person in New
(punya), and you will be con- York City said ‘I am honored
tributing to the protection and and humbled to be awarded this
transmission of this Dharma honorary Doctoral degree from
- without making such invest- Hindu University of America
ments, we run the risk of losing and I accept it with pride.’ He
an entire generation to mean- added that ‘I am a proud Hindu,
inglessness and rootlessness’. because in thousands of years,
The President of Hindu Uni- Hindus have never invaded any
versity of America, Shri Kalyan other country – India has nev-
Viswanathan acknowledged the er colonized any other country
graduating students of the uni- through military dominance
versity. He read out the Mission – and even though many hun-
and Vision of the University, dreds of thousands of my fellow
laying out the need for protect- Kashmiris were forced to live in
ing this small emerging universi- refugee camps, it is due to the
ty. He recalled how near his an- Hindu philosophy of non-vio-
cestral hometown, there is this lence that no one picked up a
great temple for Shiva, called gun or any weapon to settle any
the Brighadeeshwara Temple, scores through violence. We be-
in Tanjore, Tamil Nādu. He said, lieve in resurrecting our lives by
‘This temple has stood for more resurrecting our minds.’
than 1000 years and will proba- Established in 1983, Hin-
bly stand for many 1000’s more’ du University of America is a
and wondered if ‘we too could School of Theology, offering a
imagine building a university Master’s and Doctoral Program
that could live for more than in Hindu Studies, and a Master
1000 years?’ of Arts in Sanskrit.

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