News

New intern at OCHS

19 May 2009

Last month saw the arrival of a new member of staff at the OCHS. Well known to many at the Centre, Gateen Patel is working as an intern for a six-month period. Gateen has been friends with the Centre since 2001 when he arrived in Oxford to study at Oxford Brookes University. Since then he has gone on to complete an MA at King’s College, London, and spent time traveling in India.

 
Gateen will mainly be working with Lal Krishna, the Centre’s Development Administrator.

New online course launches

1 April 2009

May 2 sees the launch of "The Vedas and Upanishads" the second of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies online courses. Enrolments and more information are now available at www.ochs.org.uk/external/courses

 
The first course, "Understanding Hindu Identity", officially launched in February and was taken by more than 30 students worldwide.

This year's scholarships

16 March 2009

The continued growth of the OCHS has seen an increasing number of students engaged in Hindu studies at Oxford. The support offered to such students is essential for the academic integrity and objective representation of the Hindu tradition to both scholars and the public. We are happy to announce several scholarships awarded to students of the OCHS. These scholarships provide an opportunity for students to travel and pursue their research and they make a big difference to their morale and material needs.

Leicester friends launch fundraiser

6 March 2009

The Friends of the OCHS (FOCHS) Leicester launched a new fund-raising campaign for the OCHS at their third event - a lecture by Dr Nick Sutton of the OCHS Continuing Education Department on Divinity in Hindu Culture.

 
The Leicester FOCHS was formed  by a group of CED alumni who wanted to see the work of the OCHS continue and thrive. This enables the OCHS to contribute back to the Hindu Communites who have so generously supported it.
 
More than seventy people attended the event which saw the launch of our annual fund campaign. The 'Cup of Coffee' campaign.

Hindu studies go online

1 February 2009

In February the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies is launching its Online Education Course ‘Understanding Hindu Identity’.

 
Since 2003, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies has taught extramural courses throughout the UK as part of its commitment to bring the fruits of Oxford scholarship in Hinduism to a broad audience. Since then the courses have been taught dozens of times in Leicester, London, Birmingham, and Oxford.
 
In 2005 it was decided to broaden the reach even more by making courses available online.

New students at OCHS

1 January 2009

This term sees new students from an unprecedented range of backgrounds studying at OCHS. Each is bringing new interests, aims, and perspectives to the life of the Centre while qualifying for their Oxford degrees.

Every year existing OCHS students graduate to higher degrees or become full alumni of the Centre, teaching and publishing internationally in the field of Hindu Studies. And every year a new batch of undergraduate and masters students arrive from around the world. In October six new students began their studies here, each with a different story.

Reality, Religion, Passion

15 December 2008

OCHS alumnus, research fellow, and Academic Administrator, Dr Jessica Frazier has published her first book, Reality, Religion, and Passion.

The title, part of Lexington’s Comparative Philosophy and Religion Series examines the mission of two philosophers – one Western, Gadamer, and one Indian, Rupa Gosvami – to establish philosophy’s ‘passion for truth’ in cultures threatened by the dispassion of scepticism.

Prof. Gavin Flood's new appointment

10 November 2008

Big news for the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies iss the appointment of OCHS Academic Director Prof. Gavin Flood as ‘Professor of Oxford University’.

 
You can be forgiven for asking, as we did, ‘wasn't he already a Professor?’ and the answer would be yes, since 2000 in fact.
 
But Oxford being Oxford, it has its own special Recognition of Distinction, the title of ‘Professor of Oxford University’ as opposed to the more run-of-the-mill Professor. Specifically, he is now Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion.

Hindu Studies in China

15 July 2008

The Department of Cultural and Religious Studies (CRS), at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), - the oldest department of religious studies in the Chinese speaking world - has raised funding for a professorship in Indian Religions and Culture. This post was held by OCHS Fellow, Dr Kenneth Valpey in its inaugural year.

Students taking Dr Valpey's courses were from different academic and cultural backgrounds (from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and overseas). In addition to formal teaching, Dr. Valpey also organized several film appreciation meetings for students and staff to introduce the Hindu traditions in an enjoyable way.

Tenth anniversary Board of Governors Dinner

25 June 2008

Over a hundred friends and supporters of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies gathered at the Oxford Town Hall on 24 June for the OCHS Tenth Anniversary Board of Governors Dinner.

This popular event celebrates the end of the academic year and brings together the Centre's governors, benefactors, students, friends, and Oxford academics. Before the dinner, the Governors meet to consider the year past and to give direction to the Centre's future development. The Board of Governors Report will be published in September. The preliminary report is available on request.

Press Release: Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies celebrates ten years

23 June 2008

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) celebrates ten years of growth from humble beginnings in a suburban house to one of the worlds leading Hindu Studies centres building bridges between academia, tradition, and economics.

‘As India nudges its way on to the world stage as an economic force, an understanding of its underlying philosophies becomes important’, says the Centre’s Director, Shaunaka Rishi Das. ‘In the twenty-first century, Indian cultures and philosophies will make themselves felt in subtle ways as India’s economic growth brings an inevitable cultural impact.’

Bursaries given to OCHS students

10 May 2008

Thanks to kind donations by friends of the OCHS we are able to offer several bursaries in recognition of students’ academic excellence and hard work. These bursaries greatly benefit the recipients financially and the recognition of their work is further inspiration to excel.