HISTORY OF THE MINISTRY

Established: 1991

The Global Ministry has:

A) Caused its ministers to travel extensively, giving advice to ISKCON leaders and holding seminars in many countries.
B) Corresponded with numerous devotees in the field of recruiting and training new devotees through mail and email.
C) Established the Bhakta Program Institute to provide training director seminars and courses. (1992)
D) Executed a two-year joint affiliation with a 40,000 student university in Tampa whereby accredited courses were offered by the ministry for recruitment and training. (1992-3)
E) Coordinated a 3 1/2 year pilot seminary project in conjunction with an ISKCON rural community and a degree-awarding Vedic college. (1994-1998)
F) Published 17 books related to recruitment and training:

1. an extensive manual/book called “Fortunate Souls, The Bhakta Program Manual” (1996: 760 pages hardbound; this book is widely used in ISKCON centers)
2. An annual journal named “Vaisnava Society” to discuss issues vital to recruitment and training. (six volumes since 1998)
3. Prospectus for syllabus of college/seminary including degree programs
4. Two books opposing the ritvik theory and the poison theory. (“Diksa Diksa” and “Poison Antidote”; 1998-1999)
5. A pocket song book
6. A sloka book
7. Vedic Paradigm (a semester text book) provides an overview of Vedic wisdom
8. Vedic Cosmology provides a comprehensive view of Bhagavata cosmology.
9. A book on Srila Prabhupada and how he established recruiting and training in ISKCON.
10. A book telling of how a devotee preached while in the Israeli army during wartime.
11. A book depicting two plays about recruitment.

G) Established ISKCON’s first state-recognized degree college in the USA. (1999; Rupanuga Vedic College; a men’s seminary awarding Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorates, Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedanta and Bhakti-sarvabhauma degrees and titles)
H) Held six seminars each year at Mayapur and Vrndavana during the Gaura-Purnima Festivals. (since 1991)
I) RVC established and maintains a major website
J) In addition to the books published, videos, seminars, audio cassettes, visits, workshops, etc. been designed and offered as credit courses, etc.
K) The composition of a Bhakti-vaibhava examination was completed.
L) On-going development of a model Vedic College seminary in Kansas City:

1. 49 students participated in courses throughout the year, 6 received Associates Degrees/Bhakti sastri titles, and average enrollment was/is 20 students.
2. A neighbor who became a devotee and lives next to the college gifted his home to the college (bringing the campus total to five buildings)

M) Established a European branch of the RVC in Athens, Greece 2002.
N) A six minute video about the RVC was aired several times on the NBC affiliate television network in Kansa’s City. It won an Emmy Award for best Cultural News Feature of the year 2001.
O) Opened extensive dialogue with three nearby universities regarding a Vedic consortium as well as future affiliations with RVC:

“I am delighted to work together with RVC towards staging an annual symposium on Vedic higher education.” (---Douglas E. Cowan, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies, University of Missouri-Kansas City)

“Rupanuga Vedic College is attracting the finest men from around the world and educating them, right in Kansas City.” (---S. David Zuckerman: Assistant Professor Department of Communication, University of California, Sacramento)

“What the RVC is teaching is what the world needs most. We want to cooperate more with you.” (---Board of Governors: Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri)

Page Updated October 27, 2003
© 2003 Rupanuga Vedic College
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Founder-Acarya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada