Indic center gets $100,000 birthday gift
Issue Date : November 1, 2003

INDIA New England Staff

DARTMOUTH, Mass. - The Center for Indic Studies, at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, marked its second birthday by accepting two $50,000 donations. The center celebrated its anniversary, along with the birth of Mohandas Gandhi, on Oct. 4. Following the announcement of the two donations, university Chancellor Jean MacCormack announced a $50,000 annual allocation for the center. "The center has done a marvelous job at the university in teaching and promoting Indic culture and philosophy over the past two years," MacCormack said. "It deserves major support from the university." The center first received an anonymous donation of $50,000. The center's external advisory board, led by Ishvar Patel of the Dartmouth Motor Inn, matched that. The money will be used to establish an endowment "to support academic and scholarly study of Indic philosophy, history, traditions and time-tested values to facilitate Indo-American cooperation for promoting enlightened living of humanity at large," said Donald Ramsbottom, the university's vice chancellor for university relations. People from as far away as Canada attended the celebration. Pandit Ramsamoojh of the Saraswati Mandir in New Hampshire lit a lamp and recited mantras. Bal Ram Singh, the center's director, recalled how a student once asked him what kind of yoga Gandhi practiced. Referring to Manu Bahen Gandhi's recent book "End of an Epoch," Singh suggested the Mahatma likely practiced Kriyayoga. Swami Yogi Satyam, who teaches Kriyayoga classes at the university, was on hand to explain its basic techniques and scientific philosophy. Kriyayoga helps people understand that diversity is the basis of all existence, he said. Such realization removes any conflicts with people and nature, leading to the harmonious living Gandhi demonstrated.

Bal Ram Singh, the director of the Center for Indic Studies at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, may be reached at bsingh@umassd.edu..

 Last Updated On: 3/29/06