As a great supporter of higher education within ISKCON, Acharyadeva has annually offered generous scholarships to students enrolled at the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium.
Facilitated by ISKCON Radhadesh, the Bhaktivedanta College offers accredited B.A. degrees in Education Studies, Theology, and Religion. Below are a series of letters written by last year’s scholarship recipients in gratitude of Acharyadeva’s generous support.
NRITYA KISHORI DASI (CROATIA, 1ST YEAR)
Dear Hridayananda Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
My name is Nritya Kishori Dasi (Croatia); I am a disciple of His Grace Krishna Kshetra Prabhu. I am just finishing the first year of Education Studies, Theology and Religion.
For the past few years I have been interested in education; I have finished Bhakti Sastri and Teacher Training Courses in Mayapur, and I gave a few seminars on Bhagavad-gita in Bosnia. After finishing the Teacher Training Courses, I was disappointed that in ISKCON we do not provide more official courses for training aspiring teachers. Thus, I was thrilled when I found out that Bhaktivedanta College is offering a Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies!
But, my enthusiasm decreased when I saw the price – how could my mother, a retired teacher, pay that amount for three years? Nevertheless, I wrote an e-mail hoping that I may get a partial scholarship. Since I heard that the college is experiencing some financial difficulties, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a response that I can indeed receive the desired scholarship.
Dear Maharaja, thank you for allowing my dream to come true. This year was more rewarding than I could ever imagine. I had an opportunity to learn from, dare I say, the best teachers in the world – devotees who are highly qualified both academically and spiritually. Their dedication constantly inspired me to endeavour and improve. Besides teachers being devotees, I was blessed to have classmate devotees who were supportive and helpful.
Indeed, when I start to count my blessings, I notice that during this academic year I received innumerable jewels, many of which I could not properly appreciate due to my own lack of introspection and gratitude and, outwardly looking, due to intense schedule and bad weather. However, now when I look back I am amazed how many thing, inwardly and outwardly, happened during this year.
Thank you, Maharaj, for everything, and especially for giving me the opportunity to be in the place where my Guru Maharaja spends three months per year ☺ To be in his association and in the shelter of Radha Gopinatha is a blessing which can’t be described by words.
Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha ki jay!
Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
Your servant,
Nritya Kishori Dasi
TULSI PRIYA DEVI DASI (GERMANY, 2ND YEAR)
Dear Hridayananda Gosvami Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Maharaja, kindly accept this brief expression of my heartfelt gratitude for the financial support I received due to your generous student-sponsorship. The share I received by your and HH Yadunandana Swami Maharaja`s kind efforts substantially supported my personal well-being during this academic year, and it also offered me the opportunity to participate in the Teacher Training course II as well as in the Bhakti Sastri Teacher Training course.
My academic school year started with my commitment to a sponsorship service in the college library every weekend. However, by Christmas I realized that this sponsorship-service was too much for my constitution to cope with. Seven days a week, week after week, month after month simply having time to perform my sadhana, studies, the sponsorship service at the library, and two or three additional smaller occupations were too much to handle in the long run. With your help, I was thus timely relieved from one heavy unsustainable commitment: I finished half of the sponsorship service and then paid back the other half (500 Euros) with the help of your generous contribution.
Also, since I did not have enough laksmi to pay for the prasadam supply for the entire academic year, I decided it was better to eat simple foodstuffs rather than having a debt of 1000 Euros. However, as I found out shortly after this decision, it improved my stress resistance a lot. By your kind help, I was also able to occasionally enhance the nutrition-supply for my body by purchasing different simple foodstuffs (like nuts, dried fruits, oats, juices, etc.). Thus, your financial contribution substantially sustained the care-taking of my psycho-physical well-being.
Thank you again for your very kind, generous, and well-wishing financial support. I hope this letter meets you in good health and spirit.
Hare Krishna! All glories to Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha! All glories to all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord!
Your insignificant servant in the mission of Srila Prabhupada,
Tulsi Priya Devi Dasi
GOVARDHANA LILA (COLUMBIA, 2ND YEAR)
Hare Krishna, Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
My name is Govardhana Lila and I am a Bhaktivedanta College student. I am from Colombia, but I have been in Radhadesh for two years already. Maharaja, I’ve heard that your health is not the best, so I hope you feel better soon.
With this opportunity, I’m writing you to say thank you very much. Yadunandana Maharaja told me that you have made a substantial donation for the payment of my college and I’m very grateful to you.
Maharaja, I’ve never met you personally, but my mother is your disciple. She is also very grateful for this gesture. I hope Krishna continues taking care of you, as you take care of the devotees. Thank you again very much!
Your servant,
Govardhana Lila
