Oxford’s world-leading Hindu research centre turns 20.
FROM humble beginnings 20 years ago, a research centre in Oxford has grown to become a global leader in the study of Hinduism.
Starting with just three students, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) was founded as the first academy of its kind for the research of Hindu culture.
Based in Magdalen Street, the institute is now a base for world-class scholars and has hosted more than 2,000 lectures, as well as being part of international conferences and collaborative research with top universities in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Part of Oxford Universtiy as a recognised independent centre it has had 150 books published by fellows and postgraduates, built a library of 25,000 titles, and is now teaching 700 students online each year.
A celebration dinner, held at Oxford Town Hall on Monday, was attended by 250 guests, including business people, politicians, academics, students and religious leaders.
Shaunaka Rishi Das, who has been director of the centre since its creation, said: “The dinner was a great chance to bring our community of contributors and well-wishers together, to strengthen those bonds, and to thank them for their work.
“The diversity of the OCHS community is what makes it such a fertile ground for new ideas.”
Professor Louise Richardson, vice-chancellor of Oxford University gave an address.
Other speakers included Professor Francis X Clooney from Harvard University, Professor Keith Ward from Oxford University, and Ajay Piramal,an Indian industrialist and philanthropist.
The dual aims of the centre are to fuel the academic study of Hinduism, and to take this scholarship and make it accessible to Hindus and the wider community.
Publishing, conferences, and visiting student opportunities have helped it accomplish the former, and it is using online course and outreach projects to fulfil the latter.
Lord Navnit Dholakia, chairman of OCHS board of governors, said: “The OCHS has a tremendous role to play in bringing the best of Hindu Studies to Hindu communities, to the media, to government, to business – and, at the same time, ensuring that the members of all traditions and communities are included in the process.”
He added it had been a ‘privilege’ to act as chairman and see the centre develop over the past two decades.”
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