Hindu University of America

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Hindu University of America [1] [2] is an unaccredited U.S. higher education institution based in Orlando, Florida.

Contents

History

Having an organized institution for Hinduism in America is inspired from Swami Tilak in early 1980's. Thus the Hindu University of America is established in 1989. It was authorized by the State of Florida in 1993. [3] The university strives to promote the teachings of Hinduism through an inclusive, formal settings. The courses focus on teaching Hindu scriptures and the ancient language Sanskrit among other Hinduism ideologies

It is currently headed by Prof Kalyan Vishwanathan, a former global practice director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) [4] In 2023, entrepreneur Ramesh Bhutada donated one million dollars to the university. [3]

Academics

As of academic year 2019–2020, the university is not accredited, but states that it offers a degree authorized by the State of Florida, and has plans to secure accreditation from three different agencies. [5]

Related Research Articles

Hinduism is an Indian religion or dharma, a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with approximately 1.2 billion followers, or 15% of the global population, known as Hindus. The word Hindu is an exonym and while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, it has also been described as sanātana dharma, a modern usage, based on the belief that its origins lie beyond human history, as revealed in the Hindu texts. Another endonym is Vaidika Dharma, the dharma related to the Vedas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian religions</span> Religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent

Indian religions, sometimes also termed Dharmic religions or Indic religions, are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent. These religions, which include Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, are also classified as Eastern religions. Although Indian religions are connected through the history of India, they constitute a wide range of religious communities, and are not confined to the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu deities</span> Gods and goddesses in Hinduism

Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati.

Hindu astrology, also called Indian astrology, Jyotisha or Jyotishya, and more recently Vedic astrology, is the traditional Hindu system of astrology. It is one of the six auxiliary disciplines in Hinduism that is connected with the study of the Vedas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historical Vedic religion</span> 1500–500 BC Indo-Aryan religious practices of northwest India

The historical Vedic religion constituted the religious ideas and practices among some of the Indo-Aryan peoples of the northwest Indian subcontinent during the Vedic period. These ideas and practices are found in the Vedic texts, and some Vedic rituals are still practiced today. It is one of the major traditions which shaped Hinduism, though present-day Hinduism is markedly different from the historical Vedic religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingayatism</span> Shaivite sect founded by Basava in 12th century

Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as Veerashaivas, since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats. The terms Lingayatism and Veerashaivism have been used synonymously, but Veerashaivism may refer to the broader Veerashaiva philosophy which predates Lingayatism, to the historical community now called Lingayats, and to a contemporary (sub)tradition within Lingayatism with Vedic influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida A&M University</span> Public historically black university in Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), commonly known as Florida A&M, is a public historically black land-grant university in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1887, It is the third largest historically black university in the United States by enrollment and the only public historically black university in Florida. It is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, as well as one of the state's land grant universities, and is accredited to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Russia</span> Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Russia

Hinduism has been spread in Russia primarily due to the work of scholars from the religious organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and by itinerant Swamis from India and small communities of Indian immigrants. While ISKCON appear to have a relatively strong following in Russia, the other organizations in the list have a marginal presence in this country. There is an active Tantra Sangha operating in Russia. According to the 2012 official census, there are 140,000 Hindus in Russia, which accounts for 0.1% population of Russia. A majority of Russian Hindus were Vaishnavites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Hinduism</span>

The history of Hinduism covers a wide variety of related religious traditions native to the Indian subcontinent. It overlaps or coincides with the development of religion in the Indian subcontinent since the Iron Age, with some of its traditions tracing back to prehistoric religions such as those of the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation. Hinduism has thus been called the "oldest religion" in the world. Scholars regard Hinduism as a synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no single founder. This Hindu synthesis emerged after the Vedic period, between c. 500 and 200 BCE and c. 300 CE, in or after the period of the Second Urbanisation, and during the early classical period of Hinduism. It flourished in the medieval period, with the decline of Buddhism in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in the United States</span>

Hinduism is a minority religion in the United States of America, constituting 1% of the population. The vast majority of American Hindus are immigrants mainly from India, some from Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and a minority from Bhutan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Additionally, the United States has a number of converts to Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in India</span> Overview of the presence and role of Hinduism in India

Hinduism is the largest religion in India. According to the 2011 Census of India, 966.3 million people identify as Hindu, representing 79.8% of the country's population. India contains 94% of the global Hindu population. The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions: namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—collectively known as Indian religions that believe Moksha is the most supreme state of the Ātman (soul). The vast majority of Indian Hindus belong to Shaivite and Vaishnavite denominations. India is one of the three countries in the world where Hinduism is the dominant religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi Hindus</span> Ethnic group of the Indian subcontinent

Punjabi Hindus are adherents of Hinduism who identify ethnically, linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Punjabis and are natives of the Punjab region of the Indian Subcontinent. While Punjabi Hindus are mostly found in the Indian state of Punjab, as well as in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh today, many have ancestry across the greater Punjab region, which was partitioned between India and Pakistan in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sudhakar Chaturvedi</span> Indian scholar

Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi was an Indian independence activist, Vedic scholar, Indologist, and claimed supercentenarian. At the claimed age of 122 years, 313 days, some Indian newspapers reported him as the oldest Indian ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhism and Hinduism</span> Relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism and Hinduism have common origins in the culture of Ancient India. Buddhism arose in the Gangetic plains of Eastern India in the 5th century BCE during the "second urbanisation". Hinduism developed as a fusion or synthesis of practices and ideas from the ancient Vedic religion and elements and deities from other local Indian traditions. This Hindu synthesis emerged after the Vedic period, between 500-200 BCE and c. 300 CE, in or after the period of the Second Urbanisation, and during the early classical period of Hinduism, when the Epics and the first Puranas were composed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu–Islamic relations</span> Overview of relations between Hinduism and Islam

Interactions between the followers of Islam and Hinduism began in the 7th century, after the advent of the former in the Arabian Peninsula. These interactions were mainly by trade throughout the Indian Ocean. Historically, these interactions formed contrasting patterns in northern and southern India. While there is a history of conquest and domination in the north, Hindu-Muslim relations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been peaceful. However, historical evidence has shown that violence had existed by the year 1700 A.D.

Uddalaka Aruni, also referred to as Uddalaka or Aruni or Uddalaka Varuni, is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism. He is mentioned in many Vedic era Sanskrit texts, and his philosophical teachings are among the center piece in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad, two of the oldest Upanishadic scriptures. A famed Vedic teacher, Aruni lived a few centuries before the Buddha, and attracted students from far regions of the Indian subcontinent; some of his students such as Yajnavalkya are also highly revered in the Hindu traditions. Both Aruni and Yajnavalkya are among the most frequently mentioned Upanishadic teachers in Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit</span>

The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) is a Sanskrit university in India established in 1993 in Kalady, Kerala. It provides education in Sanskrit, other Indian and Foreign languages, Social science and fine arts. It is accredited A+ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The university has eight regional campuses across Kerala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aseem Shukla</span>

Aseem Ravindra Shukla is the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery in the Department of Urology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA and is a Professor of Surgery (Urology) at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Shukla is the co-founder and board member of the Hindu American Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in the West</span>

The reception of Hinduism in the Western world begins in the 19th century, at first at an academic level of religious studies and antiquarian interest in Sanskrit.

References

  1. "Hindu University in US expands Vedic base". Rediff News. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  2. "Prez of US vedic univ visits BHU". Times of India. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Indian-American entrepreneur donates USD 1M to Hindu University of America". Hindustan Times. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  4. Special session on Bhagavad Gita, The Tribune, Dec 24, 2020
  5. "Home". hua.edu.