A Bay area couple, Dr. Ajay and Mira Shingal, have pledged to create an endowment fund that will create the Mira and Ajay Shingal Center for Dharma Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California. This endowment valued at $4.6 million, will establish the Hindu Studies programs in the new Center for Dharma Studies, in perpetuity. With this endowment, the journey that the GTU began two years ago with the Dharma Civilization Foundation, arrives at an important milestone.

The Center for Dharma Studies, will begin with a focus on Hindu Studies, and offer a Graduate Certificate, MA and PhD, in Hindu Studies; but will welcome all traditions that self-identify themselves as a Dharma tradition, including the Jain, Buddhist and others systems of thought, derived from these ancient traditions. Welcoming the addition of the Center for Dharma studies to the consortium of schools and centers, GTU President Dr. Riess Potterveld said “The GTU is unique, in that most of our faculty are what we would call scholars and practitioners. I see Dharma studies adding a lot to what we currently have, for one thing, the sacred texts, the Vedic literature, the Upanishads. All the different philosophical materials are quite unique; their view of the human self is different, their view of the nature of the divine and sacred is quite different. As you think globally, and culturally, it is clear, here is a massive India with its ancient traditions, how could you study religion and not have them at the table, we were fortunate to find external partners in Dharma Civilization Foundation”. He added “This Gift from Mira and Ajay Shingal enables the Graduate Theological Union to expand the representation of the world’s great religious traditions at this consortium and create a robust and singular place for scholars, students, and the public to engage one another to build deep mutual understanding and promote the common good”.

Dr. Ajay Shingal, a resident of San Jose, has been a Silicon Valley entrepreneur with a career spanning several brand name Technology companies in the Bay Area, and is currently in the hospitality industry. Dr. Shingal, who is a member of the Board of Trustees of Dharma Civilization Foundation said “I have two kids, they don’t go to the temple without us. I truly believe if we want these temples to survive, our kids have to be very grounded in their religion through education. To me the biggest contribution one can make is the gift of education; I truly believe that the institution we are forming at GTU will be transformative in its impact”. Mira Shingal has been an entrepreneur herself, in the fashion and financial services industries, and is a partner in the hospitality industry with her husband Ajay today. Mira Shingal said “From childhood I have studied Hinduism; have read scriptures; I have been immersed in it; and I appreciate the beauty of this wonderful world of thought and philosophy. In the Hindu community we have not understood the importance of academically studying the faith that we belong to, and producing scholars who are also practitioners who understand the depth and meaning of this great and wonderful legacy that we have. We have not understood the need for accredited scholars that can speak about Hinduism with authority in this country”.

Applauding this historic gift, Prof. Shiva Bajpai, a renowned historian and President of the Dharma Civilization Foundation, observed that “Our philosophy is: The Concord, rather than the Clash, of Civilizations; The GTU is a perfect place for promoting this; We invite the Indo-American community to get engaged with this historic vision and contribute towards its fulfillment”. Mr. Kalyan Viswanathan, Executive Vice President of Dharma Civilization Foundation, who had been spear-heading this initiative for DCF, said that “It was his hope that this gift was a beginning; and many more members of the wealthy Indian community would follow and make the Center for Dharma studies at GTU a great place for the creation of a community of scholar-practitioners, from many Dharma traditions.

About Graduate Theological Union

The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, is home to the largest Ph.D. program in religious studies in North America. As a consortium of independent theological schools, the Graduate Theological Union includes nine seminaries, three of which are Roman Catholic, five Protestant, and one Unitarian Universalist. In addition, the GTU features a variety of centers and affiliates, including the Center for Jewish Studies, the Center for Islamic Studies, the Institute of Buddhist Studies, the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute, and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. Founded in 1962, the Graduate Theological Union is dedicated to building bridges within and across different religious traditions by educating students for teaching, research, ministry, and service. The GTU works collaboratively with the University of California, Berkeley, and is the home of the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, one of the largest theological libraries in the U.S.

|