IIT-ians find solace and jobs in ISKCON

MID-DAY (MAY 2001)

By Skimmy Gupta

Corporate success is not only to be met in boardrooms and corporate meetings. At least, so believe four brilliant students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, - Nayan Ranjan Das, Gaurang Das, Paramhans Das and Radheshyam Das who passed from IIT in 1994 and have now joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCKON).

Fresh out of IIT, all four were offered jobs from some of the top Indian and overseas companies and were also invited for further studies by Stanford University in the United States. " But the Lord had other plans for us," says Gaurang Das. Instead of pursuing careers in modern technology, they joined ISKCON.

Nayan Ranjan, originally hailing from Prempur, Gujarat, is now a preacher at ISKCON. Speaking to Mid-Day, he said, " In our last two years at IIT, we came across some people from ISKCON who used to organise Gita lectures, seminars and kirtans at the IIT campus. Then one day, in the library, I found Srila Prabhu Pada' s book Chairitra Amrit and it changed my whole perception towards soul and life. So we decided to dedicate our lives to ISKCON."

Nayan Ranjan is currently translating 12,000 shlokas of the Chaitanya Bhagvad into different Indian and foreign languages. Gaurang Das also regularly preaches and conducts Gita lectures in engineering and medical colleges and also in jails. He also conducts stress management seminars in various companies like Mafatlal and is into media preaching on the Sony and Aastha television channels. He said, " I am planning to do research work on mantra meditation and stress management with police personnel. "

Paramhans Das, vice-president, ISCKON, Chowpatty, originally hails from Jabalpur. He is mainly into preaching at colleges at Thane. Speaking about ISKCON, he says, " Such an in-depth, complete and convincing study of the mind, body and soul is hard to find anywhere else."
Radheshyam Das, president, ISCKON, Pune, hails from Tamil Nadu.

He organises workshops for school children at the Bhakht Prahlad School in ISCKON, Pune. He said, " The younger generation is leaning more towards westernisation. That' s why their problems are unlimited and they are confused with life. The only solution to every kind of problem lies in believing in God."