Chanchalapathi Dasa (born 1963) is an Indian spiritual leader, social worker, and co-founder of
Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit organisation that provides mid-day meals to school children across India. He is also the Senior Vice President of
ISKCON Bangalore and the President of
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, a cultural heritage project aimed at building the tallest temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in the world.
Early life and education
Chanchalapathi Dasa was born in 1963 in
Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
. He pursued his undergraduate studies in Electrical Communication Engineering at
PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore
Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
, where he first encountered the teachings of
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, is a religious organization that follows the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. It was founded on 13 July 1966 in New York City by ...
(ISKCON). Inspired by Srila Prabhupada's mission, he later joined the
Indian Institute of Science
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is a Public university, public, Deemed university, deemed, research university for higher education and research in science, engineering, design, and management. It is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The ...
, Bangalore, for his postgraduate studies.
Biography
In 1984, Chanchalapathi Dasa became a full-time member of ISKCON Bangalore. Over the years, he has conceptualised and implemented numerous spiritual, cultural, and social development programmes aimed at serving humanity. He played a pivotal role in the creation of ''
Little Krishna
''Little Krishna'' is an Indian computer-generated imagery, CGI-Animation, animated Epic (genre), epic television series created by Reliance Entertainment in 2009. It was originally aired on Nickelodeon and later aired on Discovery Kids (Indian ...
'', an animated series depicting the childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Chanchalapathi Dasa is the Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of
Akshaya Patra Foundation,
one of the world's largest mid-day meal programmes. Under his leadership, the organisation has expanded its reach, providing meals to millions of children across India. His contributions to addressing classroom hunger and improving educational outcomes have been widely recognised.
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir
As the President of
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, Chanchalapathi Dasa oversees the development of a unique cultural and heritage tourism project in
Vrindavan
Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj, Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance for Hindus who believe that Krishna, one of ...
, Uttar Pradesh. The temple complex is envisioned to become the tallest temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, symbolising India's rich cultural heritage.
ISKCON Bangalore
Chanchalapathi Dasa serves as the Senior Vice President of ISKCON Bangalore, where he has been instrumental in expanding the organisation's spiritual and social initiatives. He is also the Vice Chairman and Co-Mentor of the Global Hare Krishna Movement, guiding its strategic growth and governance.
Inspiration
The teachings of
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada have been the guiding force behind Chanchalapathi Dasa's work. Inspired by Srila Prabhupada's vision, he has dedicated his life to spreading the message of Krishna consciousness
and serving humanity through spiritual and social initiatives.
Awards and recognition
Chanchalapathi Dasa's contributions to social work and spiritual leadership have earned him widespread acclaim. His efforts in addressing classroom hunger and promoting cultural heritage have been recognised by various organisations and institutions.
Interviews and Talks
Is ISKCON only for Elite People? - Keerthi HistoryShri Krishna and Bhagwad Gita - Karma & Kalyug
What is the significance of pran pratishta? - India TodayWhere India's Hunger Struggle Is Headed - TEDxBMSCEThe Future Of Life Festival - Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri
REASON Ep. 38 Ft. with Aarti Tikoo - The New Indian
References
External links
Articles written by Sri Chanchalapathi Dasa, Indian Express
Talks at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Board of Trustees - The Akshaya Patra Foundation
ISKCON Bangalore Leadership
Governance -Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dasa, Chanchalapathi
1963 births
Living people
Indian religious leaders
Social workers from Karnataka
International Society for Krishna Consciousness religious figures
Indian Institute of Science alumni
People from Bengaluru
20th-century Indian educators
21st-century Indian educators