Hindu YUVA leaders from 95 universities gathered for ‘Sankalp: The Hindu YUVA National Summit’ from September 13-15 at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, USA. Hindu YUVA (Youth for Unity, Virtues, and Action), which boasts 83 registered university chapters, aims to practice, promote, protect, and preserve Hindu Dharma on campuses across North America. Dr. Jaymin Kathiriya, the National President, reflected in his welcome address that “it is our collective responsibility to create a vibrant Hindu presence on university campuses with the ultimate goal of ensuring universal well-being of all students.”

The Summit’s theme, “Sankalp”, meaning to resolve, centered around a collective commitment to educating ourselves and others about Hindu identity and advocating for the challenges of university students. The event featured over 400 participants from 95 universities representing the collective strength of the Hindu YUVA leadership, along with more than 20 Hindu organizations in the areas of advocacy, media, humanitarian service, academia, and more, exploring collaborative opportunities to enhance the Hindu student experience.

Plenary sessions like “The Global Hindu Experience”, “Hindu Dharma and Its Promise for the
21st Century”, and “A Dharmic Approach to Mental Health” further expanded on the theme of
education and advocacy, with discussions on how Hindu Americans are navigating modern
challenges while rooted in Dharma.

Through smaller group workshops, participants explored the relevance of Hindu values in addressing today’s challenges and learned skills to improve camps-based activities. A unique session called the “YUVAthon,” inspired by the hackathon culture on campuses, created a space for students to craft new, innovative Dharmic initiatives. One such initiative which began in 2018 from a similar workshop is Vivekananda House, a residential Hindu cultural center now at 6 universities.

At the heart of the Summit was the figure of Dr. Anandibai Joshi, the first Hindu woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. Her pioneering spirit and dedication to education served as the guiding inspiration for the Summit. “Sankalp” embodied her legacy, encouraging Hindu youth to “resolve to educate and advocate.”

Hindu YUVA is the largest Hindu student organization in North America and strongly reveres and warmly welcomes students following various traditions of Hindu Dharma. The speakers at the Summit included eminent spiritual leaders of BAPS, Chinmaya Mission, and ISKCON.

Manganidhidas Swami, the Director of the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute, beautifully captured the essence of the Summit when he said, “In the joy of others, lies our own. In the good of others, rests our own. In the progress of others, abides our own. This is our Dharma in relation to others, and this can be realized by Sewa, by serving others.”

(The article was published on Hinduyuva.org on September 18, 2024 and has been reproduced here with permission.)