One-sixth of humanity follows, in one or more ways, what is broadly termed the Hindu way of life (encompasses religion, culture and heritage). Hindu Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action (YUVA) is about giving an immersive and experiential exposure of Hindu way of life to the campus community while having a lot of fun in a friendly and positive atmosphere. We encourage maintaining Hindu cultural identity in harmony with the larger community.
The objective of Hindu YUVA is to create opportunities for college communities, both students and faculty members, to understand and practice Hindu Dharma, the ancient way of life. The activity would include conducting regular programs with focus on all the aspects of personality development (physical, mental and spiritual). We aim to develop strong character and leadership skills in our members, emphasizing values such as self-discipline, self-confidence and a spirit of selfless service for the society. In addition doing service activities in and around campus to benefit the local community will also be focused. The events will be held to raise the awareness of the community about present several issues faced by the Hindus around the world.
The Hindu civilization is only ancient civilizations which still continue to thrive on this planet. It has an unbroken chain of several thousands of years of history, culture & heritage. Today, one in every six people in the world is a Hindu. The Hindu thought is a knowledge base which has been collected since the ancient Vedic period. This knowledge is timeless and applicable to the entire humanity. In spite of its huge following, rich history, and innumerous contributions to the human race, Hindu Dharma (Hindu way of life) is perhaps the least understood among the major religions today. Mark Twain said, “In religion and culture India is the only millionaire.” And yet, so many of us know very little about this great culture and heritage!
Hindu thought’s integral approach provides a beacon of hope in today’s challenging and dynamic world situation. It is perhaps not a co-incidence that the great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda came to Chicago as a representative of Hinduism at the World Parliament of Religions on September 11th, 1893. His now famous speech that started with, “Dear Brothers and Sisters of America…” carry more meaning and weight than ever before. A great deal of responsibility today lies on the shoulders of young Hindu Americans, being the inheritors of this great civilization. A responsibility to share the culture and its universal values with the wider American audience. A responsibility to preserve the meaning, understanding, and the practice of the culture for the generations to come.
Hindu YUVA, deriving inspiration from this ancient knowledge, and understanding the mammoth task lying in front of the young Hindu Americans, aims to provide a platform to preserve, practice, promote and protect Hindu Dharma by bringing together Hindu youth across college campuses in United States.