News

OCHS Student wins Oxford's Clarendon scholarship

15 October 2005

This term sees Gopal Gupta from Boise Idaho, USA, arriving at OCHS to pursue an MSt in Science and Religion. In recognition of his excellent work to date, the University of Oxford have awarded him a full Clarendon Fund Scholarship to support his studies at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. The highly sought-after Clarendon Scholarship, which is given to encourage scholarship in important and often ground-breaking fields, covers the fees for Gopal's Masters and Doctoral degrees in the emergent field of Science and Hinduism.

Senior Indian scholars visit OCHS

25 August 2005

The Centre has been fortunate to host two distinguished scholars this academic year. In autumn 2004,Vasudha Narayanan, Professor of Religion at the University of Florida and past president of the American Academy of Religion, came to the OCHS as the Tamil Krishna Goswami Visiting Fellow. She delivered the Wahlstrom Lecture, providing insight into the breadth of Hindu cultural expansion beyond the borders of modern India, with examples from Angkor Wat and other Cambodian sacred sites.

 
This spring,we welcomed Ashok Aklujkar, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia,

Prof Gavin Flood appointed as new OCHS Academic Director

10 August 2005

Following in the footsteps of senior scholars like Prof.Frank Clooney (Harvard University, USA)and Prof.Pratap Kumar (KwaZulu Natal,South Africa),from October 2005 the new Academic Director of OCHS will be Prof.Gavin Flood,who is currently the senior lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Stirling, Scotland.

 
With research interests that span South Asian traditions, Prof.Flood 's history of research and publication is outstanding.

Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies annual dinner continues to delight

30 June 2005

Scholars, students, and community leaders from across the country came together last Thursday for the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) 7th annual Board of Governors dinner. The event, which took place at Oxford Town Hall, was an occasion for friends and well-wishers to learn and reflect upon the diverse and rewarding activities of the OCHS over the past year.

Sharmila Ford, Jayesh Popat, Alfred Ford, Kabir Kumar & Nadeem Ahmad

Guests at this year's dinner included Alfred Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford, Veena Bhal, U.K. Government's Ethnic Health Advisor, and Richard Cross, Chairman of the Faculty Board of Theology.

Sir Mark Tully calls for a balance between religion and secularism in modern India

28 May 2005

On Thursday, the 26 of May, Sir Mark Tully, formerly the BBC's longstanding correspondent in India, addressed an audience of 450 at an evening dinner organised by the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

 
After a reception and a fine Indian meal, Lord Dholakia introduced Sir Mark in the presence of His Excellency the Indian High Commissioner, many of London's leading Indian businessmen, and other distinguished guests.
 
In his lecture, Mr. Tully highlighted the need for modern India to avoid the two extremes of fundamentalist religion and fundamentalist secularism.

OCHS Hindu Studies Course continues its success

15 April 2005

Over the last twelve months the work of our Continuing Education Department has again focused on offering the Certificate in Hindu Studies at new locations across the country. Classes have continued in Harrow, Ilford and Leicester, and in January 2005 the course started in a new venue in Birmingham. At present we have over eighty students registered on the Certificate Course, engaged in university level study of Hindu traditions and culture.

 
For many students the rewards are both intellectual and personal.

Lord Dholakia launches OCHS Friends programme

10 April 2005

This year the Centre launched its 'Friends ' programme. It is an invitation, by Lord Dholakia of our Patrons Council, for the public to join our 'Friends of the OCHS' campaign. The Centre has achieved great academic success. But to ensure that the OCHS achieves its full potential we need the generous support of private and corporate sponsorship.

Former OCHS Academic Director gets top Harvard Chair

15 March 2005

Francis X. Clooney, one of the world's leading comparative-theology scholars, will become the Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology at Harvard Divinity School, effective July 1, 2005, Dean William A. Graham has announced.

Clooney, a Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Society of Jesus, is currently Professor of Comparative Theology at Boston College, where he has taught since 1984.

High Commissioner of India visits OCHS

17 February 2005

We recently had the great pleasure of Senior Indian scholars visit OCHS entertaining the High Commissioner of India,Mr Kamlesh Sharma,accompanied by his wife Mrs Babli Sharma and Special Assistant Mrs Kulkarna,for lunch in Oxford on our OCHS premises.On 17 February, scholars,students,staff and the Oxford Hindu Student Society gathered to meet the High Commissioner,who took the time to discuss Hindu Studies with those present.

Prof.Richard Gombrich,Boden Professor of Sanskrit in Oxford for almost 30 years, presented the latest translation of a major Sanskrit text to the High Commissioner as a token of our shared commitment to the unique treasures of Indian culture.The gift was received with thanks and the High Commissioner recognised that there is a pressing need to make the ancient heritage more accessible to modern Indians at large.

Appointments 2004-5

13 January 2005

Hilary Term (Jan - Mar 05)

Shivdasani Visiting Fellow

K. Maheswaran Nair hails from Kerala (Southern India) and is currently Professor, Department of Sanskrit, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. He is also Hon. Director of the Centre for Vedanta Studies of the University of Kerala. Previously he worked at Govt. Sanskrit College, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrippunithura, and also as Editor of the Dept. of Cultural Publications, Kerala.

An evening with Ranjit Sondhi: CBE launches the OCHS in Leicester

18 November 2004

On Friday 18th of November at the Leicester Stage Hotel the OCHS held "An Evening with Ranjit Sondhi CBE". The impetus for the dinner, prompted by the Sir Mark Tully Dinner held in London, in May, came from Mr Vijay Thakrar. A team of our Leicester friends organised, managed and executed the evening wonderfully.

The evening was part of the OCHS Awareness-raising Campaign and a regional launchto the business community in Leicester andit was a tremendous success.Ranjit Sondhi, a BBC Governor, very kindly agreed to share his thoughts on bring a british Indian as our main speaker for the event. The main sponsors were ICICI Bank and Yorkshire Bank and we had 270 people who came to enjoy the evening.

New BA students at OCHS

12 November 2004

Ashiyana Nariani is a visiting student from the USA,now based at OCHS and Wadham College as one of our first two Bachelors Degree students.Her studies combine Hindu Studies,Hindi and Mathematics,and she will be studying these subjects here for the rest of the academic year.