Preeta Banerjee, Hindu Chaplain. Photo credit: Alonso Nichols for Tufts University, 2020 

 Namaste dear friends

The Tufts Hindu Chaplaincy greets you in the spirit of a revitalizing wellspring where you come to nourish yourself, share and learn with others, and build community. This is a community that cares deeply about supporting growth across all the koshas (layers of being): physically, emotionally, mentally, energetically and spiritually. As part of a team of chaplains committed to this deep caring and support for future leaders like yourselves, I look forward to exploring all the opportunities that Tufts has to offer with you. Exploration requires rest and rejuvenation, and I am here to offer spiritual support, tools, and techniques throughout your time at Tufts. 

I work closely with Tufts’ Hindu Student Association (HSA), and we are available to anyone curious about learning more regarding Hinduism across the spectrum of philosophy, spirituality, religion, and practice. The HSA is a student group fostering community and interaction around the concepts of Hindu faith and identity here at Tufts. We offer you our warmest welcome! 

I look forward to connecting more with you. Dhanyavaadah and best wishes, 

Preeta Banerjee, PhD

Hindu Chaplain 

The Tufts Hindu Students Association (HSA)  is an organization dedicated to the preservation and understanding of Hindu culture and ideology at Tufts. HSA is open to anyone and everyone who wants a safe space to discuss Hindu traditions and ideologies.For the past few years, we have been bringing the campus together with various pujas, gatherings and celebrations.

HSA aspires to take advantage of the three “S’s”: Seva (community service), Sadhana (practice), and Satsang (community).  We hope that we can incorporate each one of these pillars into each and every event and meeting.  The two biggest events of the year are Diwali and Holi, but we are constantly expanding our events to include other auspicious occasions like the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, Navratri, and many more. We have meetings every week.  During these meetings, we do Aarti and then take turns presenting, exploring, and discussing different aspects of Hinduism. We’re always considering members’ special interests and have organized and incorporated a Rangoli competition, Bhajan night, Navratri Pujas, and more into our weekly events.

HSA attracts people of all faiths because Hinduism believes not in tolerance of all religions but in acceptance of all religions. The purpose of this club is to bring Hinduism into college life and make it accessible to our generation as we are the heir of this wonderful heritage. As we strive to better understand and practice Hindu ideals as college students, we also have a lot of fun as a group, through celebrating festivals like Holi or by sharing our viewpoints and learning from and with each other. Ultimately, through our regular meetings and our special events, we have formed a community where everyone can feel welcome, and we encourage anyone who is interested to join us at HSA! You can find more about us on our website. If you are a current student, you can sign up for our elist here. If you would like to receive the weekly updates, please sign up for the newsletter here. 

Please contact the 2023-2024 student leadership team with any questions.

Hindu Students Association