Dear devotees of the ISKCON Sydney community.
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Having served Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, Srila Prabhupada and the devotee community as ISKCON Sydney Temple President for the past 11 years, Vara-Nayaka Prabhu has decided to resign from this role.
During Vara-Nayaka Prabhu’s tenure we have seen the size of our community more than double both Indian and local memberships, the temple has been made debt free and more financially secure, a stable brahmacari ashram has established in the temple, the most successful book distribution team in the Australasian region has been created, Haris Vegetarian Restaurant has been established in the city centre, and a most ambitious project to construct a new purpose built Radha Govinda temple in Northwest Sydney has been embarked upon. With all of these achievements, serving as Temple President has been demanding on Vara-Nayaka Prabhu who feels it is time to bring in a new team with new energy and ideas.
Accordingly, after consulting with senior members of the community an interim management team, the ISKCON Sydney Council, has been formed to oversee all affairs for ISKCON Sydney. The members of the interim council are all working together across the many aspects of congregational care and temple management with each member having a primary focus:
Vijaya Gopikesh das – congregational leadership
Ghanashyam Govinda das – temple operations
Sri Prahlada das – congregational leadership
Rasika Manjari dasi – Women’s representation and congregational spiritual welfare
The service of this council to ISKCON Sydney over the coming months will be reviewed at the next ISKCON Australia Annual General Meeting of the Australian GBCs and temple presidents/leaders.
Vara-Nayaka Prabhu will remain engaged with helping transition in the new management structure until the end of July. Then he will be engaged as the new temple construction manager to give a needed push to the new temple project. This role was already planned for and budgeted for in the new temple project. Vara-Nayaka Prabhu has agreed to accept this role, also to be reviewed after six months.
We look forward to serving you as the ISKCON Sydney Council. We begin by inviting you to join us in thanking Vara Prabhu for his service as Temple President and wishing him well in his new role.
Your humble servants
Vijay Gopikesh das
Ghanashyam Govinda das
Sri Prahlada das
Rasika Manjari dasi