2003 || Global Excellence Awards Ceremony #JayapatakaSwamiArchives

Everyone will come because he sings like a Dharma in the spiritual world. His Holiness Bhakti Sudharmaj had an accident and his knee is injured. In spite of that with great pain he's sacrificing all his himself to come here to share this ISKCON Global Excellence night with all of you. We should all be very grateful for his sacrifice. It's a sign of his global excellence.

So all the devotees please come for this Global Excellence Award ceremony function on the stage. And also please join the kitten. We have women's king. Oh my God. Namaste.

Hare Hare.

Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Ram Sacrifice.

Ra Ra.

Sam Jayo Mission part Namaste. So on behalf of the.

Global Excellence.

Award committee I'd like to welcome all the vice members and also especially our the leaders of our society for sitting on the stage today's function. Our Ish David Kumaras is the chairman of this function this evening and.

And.

His Holiness Bhakti Chaitanumaras is from. He's the chief Gu and our Gopal Kasar Maharaj is honored guests.

Honored guests.

And our Shivak Swami also honored guest. About two years ago the GBC subcommittee to come up with this idea that we should honor our Vaishnavas who are dedicating their life in helping Srila Prabhupada's mission in many many different fields. So as a humble attempt by the GBC body in order to serve the devotees in general as well as the Prabhupada's mission. And so we came up with this idea of honoring these wonderful Vaishnavas for doing so many wonderful services in different parts of the planet, also in different fields of preaching. So this is the second year, last year we started and the program has not fully fully developed to say. And so we are on the process of improving and so we need your suggestions and input and you can send us the email and say from the next year we are thinking that we should organize this in a little more practical manner and so that the nominations come a bit earlier. So I would like to request that domination come by Srila Prabhupada at the Disappearance festival that's around November and that will have enough time for preparation for the award ceremony. And also the different fields we have book distribution, the congregational preaching programs and festivals and many, many projects, new projects. And so there are so many other projects that may come up. So anyone who's joined the wonderful Sabha that we like to recognize and also to honor Prabhupada's mercy and also Radha Madhava's blessings. So this is our humble attempt from the GBC body to organize this program.

So.

This evening the recipients of this year's Baba Award. I'll just briefly read the names. There are 10 devotees who will receive this award this evening. Some are here, some are not present, but on their behalf, the other devotees will receive. So first award comes to His Holiness Indrajuna Swami. Maybe they will set time. Yeah, otherwise we'll put it later. Okay, so this will be explained slowly as the. With the proceedings of the award. So with those viewers, I'd like to welcome all of you for being present here in this evening.

And.

So we need your blessings also and so that you can do this program better. Namaskar Hare Krishna.

Now we request the chairman of the GBC and our chief guest, His Holiness Bhakti Chaitanya Swami Maharaj, to explain to us some of the ideals and purposes and significances of this GBC program of global excellence and in general to illuminate us with some thoughts on this special occasion where we're glorifying devotees for their dedication, surrender and achievements and furthering the mission of His Divine grace to the AC Bhaktivedanta Swami. Honey Krishna.

Ka Honey. Honey. Honey.

Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama.

Honey Honey. Well, it is very important, part of our Vaiava culture that the devotees, the devotees like to appreciate the services and good qualities of other devotees and glorify the other devotees for their wonderful achievements and so many things. How the devotees are advancing in Ka Consciousness, how they are achieving different goals and spreading Ka Consciousness like this. So that is really the essence of this global awards ceremony that we are having. The GBC body wanted that generally, generally we are staying within our areas, a particular city or maybe a particular country. But this movement, this is the international society for Ka Consciousness. And we have devotees, we have centers.

All over the world.

So the idea is that we should expand our vision, expand our vision and see how this Ka Consciousness movement is going on all over the world. And how devotees in many different places, under many different types of circumstances, how they are working very hard and succeeding in spreading Ka Consciousness and advancing in Ka Consciousness, not just in our own little local area. So this is something that the GBC body wanted to encourage, that the devotees in general could broaden the scope of their vision and see and appreciate how things are going on and what devotees are doing all over the world. So this is very essential, part, integral, part of the Culture of Ka consciousness in material life, of course, it is not really so much of wanting to appreciate others and glorify others. It is more a matter that people would like to be appreciated themselves or to be glorified themselves. This is material consciousness. Everyone is thinking as Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, Ishvaroha Mahambo Gi. I'm very expert. I'm a big controller, and I'm a big enjoyer. Oh yeah, look at me. I'm very important. This is material consciousness. But Ka consciousness is like the direct opposite. The devotee is feeling that I'm very insignificant, very humble person, just trying to do some small service. But the other devotees are appreciating how wonderful, what nice things this particular devotee is doing and wanting to recognize that and express their appreciation. So this is Ka Consciousness. And this is the essence of this program, this ceremony that we're having tonight. Just like rla Prabhupada said about transcendental competition in material life, of course we know there's competition and everyone is trying to become number one. But in transcendental competition, Prabhupada explained that in Vrindavan, the Gopis, they're all trying to serve Krishna very enthusiastically in so many wonderful ways. But then there's one other Gopi who does some even better service and pleases Krishna even more. So that devotee gets some special recognition and special mercy from Krishna. But now the other Gopis, when they see that one Gopi getting that special recognition, they don't. It's not that they feel bad that, oh, we lost, we couldn't win like that. But the other Gopis feel inspired. Just see how this devotee please Krishna so wonderfully. That. That is just great. That is just tremendous. But I would like to please Krishna even more. So then in this way, the devotees become inspired to serve Ka more and to serve Ka better and please Krishna more. This is the mood of transcendental competition. And this is the vai mood that we try our best, all of us. Prabhupada said this movement is no place for lazies or crazies. Anyway, I know you're not crazies, but we definitely shouldn't be lazy. We should be very busy. We should be busy all day, every day, trying to do as much as we can to spread Ka Consciousness and please Srila Prabhupada, please Lord Ka. But then when we see some other devotee who is doing even more and in this way pleasing Krishna even more, then instead of becoming disappointed that we couldn't be the most prominent. Rather, we become inspired and enthused. We become very happy. What a nice devotee. What wonderful service. And then we become inspired to try to do even better, to please Krishna even more. So this is what we're trying to do in this program. Draw out from all around the world so many hundreds and thousands of devotees doing so much. But we try to draw out the best so that everyone, the whole international society can see the most exceptional services, the most exceptional devotees and the wonderful achievements which they've made and glorify them. And in this way become inspired. All of us, all around the world, we can become inspired. Let's try and do more. It can be done. Just see what these devotees have done. It can be done. So let us try even more to please Krishna. So this is what we're doing this evening. We're going to give special recognition to a number of devotees. And we should all try and appreciate and understand what they have done. And in this way become inspired ourselves. Hare Krishna Srila Prabhupada.

You've been listening to His Holiness Bhakti Chaitanya Swami Maharaj, Chairman of the ISKCON GBC body for 2003-2004. Now we request all the speakers to just give a brief message because there's also going to be the 10 award giving out. So naturally that will also take some time. We're starting a little late. So I'd like to request one of the. I think he's the most senior member on the GBC body. Been a GBC member longer than anybody else, 28 years. And when I was, he was also my GBC for some time. We're fellow GBCs. I'd like to request His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, our guest of honor for tonight, to shed some light on global excellence and how this will please Prabhupada's program.

Hare Ka Hare Krishna. My talk is going to be brief because I'll have the opportunity to speak again a little later. Bhakti Chaitanya Swami and Surab Dandar Mahaj explained the purpose of these programs in the Chetanya Chaitan. Rita, you read a very wonderful story. O Lord Chaitanya cleaning the Kunditja temple along with his associates. So Lord Chaitanya and his devotees were cleaning the Kundita temple and hundreds of buckets of water were being brought. Everyone was just chanting Hare Krishna. And the purpose of that exercise was to clean the temple, remove the dust and Lord Chaitanya would recognize those who were successful in gathering the most dirt. And then Lord Chaitanya would tell them to train the others who were less successful. But Lord Chaitanya did recognize those who were more successful in removing the dirt. So Prabhupada also used to recognize those temple zones that would be successful in different areas. During Prabhupada's time, the Samkirtan newsletter was a very powerful tool in which different temples were competing in different categories, different zones were competing in different categories. And Prabhupada encouraged spiritual competition. And as Bhakti Chaitanya Mahan explained, spiritual competition is constructive and material competition, in my opinion, is destructive. So in our Ka Conscious movement, we take inspiration from success models and we also try to improve in our service. So the purpose of these awards is to recognize devotees in different areas. As Rukh Damdar Maharaj explained, our process of recognizing devotees needs a little more development. And hopefully by next year that will be done. I also feel that there should be a wider. The devotees around the world should become aware of this and devotees should be encouraged to give nominations. And then there should be a committee that should screen the nominations and that on who the best are in different categories. And I'm sure it's going to happen over the next few years. And this recognition is only a small appreciation of what devotees have done in different fields. And we hope that this will encourage devotees to increase their surrender in service to Srila Prabhupada and endeavor to work harder to shine in different areas. In this Ka Conscious movement. There's a lot to do. The task ahead of us is to save the whole world. And whether we construct temples, expand the congregation, or expand food for life, or expand book distribution, our real goal is to make people Ka Conscious. Hare Krishna.

I want to thank His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj for so succinctly and concisely explaining to us the importance of this Global excellence program in very few words. We have a minister here with us today, His Holiness Prahladananda Swami. He says he's a Sannyas Affairs Minister, Sannyas Services Minister, as well as health and welfare of the devotees. He's engaged in serving the devotees in various capacities. So we'd like him to also give us some inspirational message on this very auspicious occasion on Global Excellence Night.

So I'm very happy to be here midst of all the exalted Vaishnavas, to hear them glorify the other devotees. In the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna has told Arjuna, after Arjuna inquired about Krishna's mission. This is in the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna asked, ayaki ko bhavanuguru rupo the most ute deva vira prasida digatinis chami vavantamadyam na maith pradhanamita bhav pravri team. He said, what is your mission? I want to know about it. So Ka said that his mission is he's come here to kill everyone. Kalosmi loka shaye krit prarido lokan samaharatam iha pravidak rite vitvam nabi shanti sarve ye vasita pratniu keshuyoda time. I am the destroyer of everything. So nowadays there is so much talk about terrorism, how everyone is being threatened by so many different diseases, so many different persons who are out to destroy the world. But the number one terrorist is revealed in Bhagavad Gita Krishna. He's come here to kill everyone. Therefore anyone who's not on Krishna's side is certainly very unfortunate. But he tells Arjuna, tasmatwam yudishti shola vasvajitva satr vidhan ni mitra matram bhavasavasachin. Just get up and prepare to fight. And after conquering your enemy, you'll enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by my arrangement. And you, O Sabasacci, can be but an instrument in the fight. In other words, Ka. He's already arranged everything, both on the battlefield of Kurukshetra and in this material world. So the devotee aspires simply to become an instrument for Ka. And the more one becomes an instrument for Ka, then the more one will be effective in spreading Ka consciousness. The devotee never takes credit for doing anything, knowing well that the actual doer is Ka. But the devotee is simply desiring that he or she may be used as an instrument for Ka. But Ka, on the other hand, simply wants to give the credit to the devotee. Krishna thinks that because my devotee is desiring to please me, to serve me, therefore I am able to empower him to perform the service and therefore be able to spread Ka consciousness or to enlighten people in the science of Ka consciousness. So one side, the devotee never wants to take credit, knowing that without Ka's mercy, without the mercy of the other devotees, one cannot do anything. On the other side, the devotees are always very anxious to give other devotees credit. And the topmost devotee of all the devotees is Krishna, who is always very anxious to see his devotees glorified. Therefore, spiritual consciousness is the most auspicious consciousness where everyone becomes very happy by seeing others happy. Therefore, it's very fortunate when we can see how the devotees are surrendered to Ka and appreciate their surrender. And in this way, simply by that appreciation, we also make advancement towards surrendering to Ka. If we see the good qualities of the devotees, then the result is we'll acquire all the good qualities that they have. And if we see the bad qualities of the devotees, or perhaps even in those who are not devotees, sometimes we may acquire all the bad qualities that we see. Therefore, when we emphasize the good qualities of the devotees and glorify them, there can be nothing more auspicious than that. Therefore, I'm very happy to hear how the devotees who glorify the other devotees because in that way I have some hope of the future perhaps becoming a devotee myself. So thank you very much.

We have here. I want to thank His Holiness Bharatanda Swami for sharing this enlightening jewel message with us. They also hear a very special guest of honor who is hard to catch because he's like always flying around like Madhavuni within Mayapur in different places. He's landed here now. So he's actually very highly educated. He has his postgraduate degree from the UK and he's highly blessed by Srila Prabhupada. He's been translating Prabhupada's literature into Bengali and he's been preaching. He's a very humble person. There was a global award for humility, I think he was. We like him on this occasion to give us some insight what Prabhupada wanted to achieve by this. So.

Here today is Jayapada Kumar, Gopal Krishna Maharaj, our GBC chairman. And our hope was dear scientist Swordawana Maharaj and Prahamba, our Sanasi Chairman President of Sanas when there are so many usually supposed to be in the sky there is one moon. But I find in the horizon of.

Iskcon.

Already in this stage, so many moons and I am glow warm. I don't know what to do here and speak. Please bless me and you too.

See what I mean? He's blessed being so humble. You know, he's a million moons. So anyway, keep to the point, ma'.

Am.

So Prabhupada once said that within the Hare Krishna Mahavantra everything is that.

The.

Best devotee Krishna we are addressing who is the Mahasi personified and the devotion personified so we are praying to have my dear Krishna's energy internal energy. Krishna Radhan Assam Please engage me in your Sahajis. So purpose will ask sometimes that somebody comes to him and he look at him seriously what service he can do. So our leaders also see how they can tap everybody's energy. Whatever they have. Everybody has got some skill or talent. So in order to boost the spreading of Ka Consciousness propagation we worldwide we require big organization, manpower, wealth, land and all these things. Bhubha stored all these factors. And so Bhubha said I am successful when devotees ask key of his success. So our leader asked this thing and Bhubha said so there should be. We should encourage competition, spiritual competition. And you can see how Bhubha did. And Bhubhuva said do as I did. So here our leaders are encouraging this in different fields. Just as Gopal Krishna Maharaj said book distribution, construction, constructing temple food for life. And so different person has talent. And here they are being encouraged in this way recognizing the devotees talent, skill in different fields. So it's very nice to fulfill the desire of Chaitanya Mahapramu our previous Acharya who are watching us who is sincere we serve him. So here is the challenge to each devotee and you should accept it. Ka soul from Arjun was reluctant fight and he said this is your meekness Karpanna. You are in the bodily concept. Actually you are not but is teaching us your conditions over. So we should take this lesson and Prabhupada is giving us. And those are Prabhupada's successors present musical leaders gbc. We are here to learn from them. So let us take this opportunity now and accept this challenge and whatever talent you have. And the assignment given by our leader following the footprints of Mahatma Mahajan Jarjataji sisters. As Krishna said, we should follow the footprints of Prabhupada and those who are following Prabhupada Anuga as Jaipur Maha said Prabhupada Anuga following Prabhupada the path shown by Prabhupada not following others. He has shared to be successful to please Prabhupada and his followers and please Ka Das and go back to Godhead. So let us take inspiration from this and join this competition and follow.

This program.

Hare Krishna. Thank you very much. I hope our leaders will bless me. Maybe a mouse in front of me. Elephant.

Thank you.

Thank you sir.

We heard elephants are afraid of mice but he's a swan. And we're very grateful for his inspiration, words and his humility and dedication. Even though he went through some accident just a couple years ago and he had to do therapy to recover his health. You can see he's still so much enthusiastic to serve Srila Prabhupada. That's one of the greatnesses of this movement is that there's so many jewel like devotees. Thank you, Sudhak Samantha.

So now I wanted to request our chairman for today's program his holiday Jaipatta Swami to speak few words, I think. Jayat Hakis Swami, does he need any introduction? No, he doesn't need any introduction. He's one leader who travels to every corner of the world and is recognized in every corner of the world. Jam Thakasami and I are old friends. We were bhaktas together in 60 years in Montreal, Canada. And with Krishna's grace, we're still working together. Jaipalagasamy is very senior member of the gbc Minister for Congregational Development and an outstanding worldwide preacher. So I'm sure he can give us some words of inspiration now.

He just reminded me that when I was a bhakta with him at that time I was also creating this servants for the devotees. In fact, all the devotees went and complained to Srila Prabhupada against me that I was chanting too loud Japa in the temple in Montreal. So then Prabhupada had me go out and chant in the park so I won't disturb the devotees. He asked why you are shouting so loud, Hare Ka disturbing everyone. I said, I read that Baharida's tanker. He would chant louder and louder as his mind other thoughts would come. I said, my mind has so many other thoughts. I have to chant very loud to drive it out. Then Prabhupada smiled and said, okay, but you shouldn't disturb everyone else so you chant in the park. So I just said, I'm always a troublemaker. I think at least a disturbance for others.

You also used to read very loudly.

But anyway, today here we're to discuss other people. I just hope the devotees will forgive me for all the disturbances. Knowingly or unknowingly, somehow I prayed it. To the illustrious and most distinguished personages and daiyas here. To the chief guest Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaj. To the chairman of the Global Excellence Awards Committee, His Holiness Bhakti Subnamuda Maharaj. To the guests that honor Gopala Vishnu Maharaj Falada Swami and Subhak Swami Maharaj. To all the assembled Vaishnavas and Vaishnavis and to all of the gentlemen and the Matri Mandalis, the very distinguished mothers. I want to offer you all my Pranam Hare Krishna. I don't know why Bhakti Shiv Nabuda Maharaj asked me to chair the meeting, but very grateful that he gave me some service. Actually, the preaching subcommittee of the GBC had come up with this proposal and the GBC embraced it very enthusiastically. At that time we were searching for someone who would take up this responsibility. Because one thing they have an idea, a goal, another thing to put it into practice. And very humbly and very with a sacrifice, His Holiness, he accepted this responsibility to try to bring together this global excellence award, night and ceremony. And as he said, it's the second year and he's looking for ever improving it and making it. This may be in the future something like the Nobel Laureate for ISKCON or something like that. They can't compare this all material thing. This is something much more important than that.

But.

Actually there's a. Remember that Srila Prabhupada in Vrindavan. You can find in the folio that there's a discussion where at one point he wanted to give titles to devotees. He was concerned that there was maybe a preoccupation with giving their importance only to the managerial services. Obviously those kind of leadership roles are very prominent and very visible and very important. But also our movement is held together by a variety of devotees who perform some specialized services also like Devi worship, cooking, different cultural programs, food distribution, Prasad distribution, book distribution, congregational preaching, education and many, many different facets of service. And Prabhupada was concerned that we will need experts in different services in order to give them also some recognition. So that they'll take their response. Not to get them puffed up, but rather to in the humility they take it that I've been recognized for our particular service. Then I should also try to be an example for others in this service, try to help others so that they can do the service. So we could never decide on Sanskrit titles for the Prabhupada we're discussing. It was never finalized. And that's one thing that also was discussed. I remember I went to the Bhakti Vinod Thakur temple in Birgaj Birnagar, and they give out some titles for devotees just like for Sanskrit scholars they call Becker and Tirtha Kapdya Tirtha like that. So something like Seva Ratna or maybe someone said Pujari Archika Ratna or something like that. We never finalized any kind of situation Sanskrit titles. But the GBC Anyway, we'll just call it global excellence recognition or award. And the idea is like this, to on one hand, appreciate the devotees for their dedication and service in a particular area, to encourage others to also as Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaj and the Gopal Vishmas and almost everybody highlighted, but especially they did. And this idea of trying to improve ourselves in a particular area. Someone today asked me about how to get rid of envy. And I was thinking when I heard this, how in the spiritual world, in the material world, somebody does better. You want to pull them down because there's some limitations. You want to pull someone down. In the sports events, we heard that when they do that bicycle racing, they have to have a whole team of people because if the one person is riding alone, someone will come and push them off the bicycle. They'll cheat in order to win. So it's like a dog eat dog world. In the material world we saw in the spiritual, someone does better. Instead of this envy, they'll pull them down. All glories to your service. It can be inspirational. We see someone doing something nicer, let me learn from that person, let me serve that person so I can also do something nice. For Prabhupada for Ka. I think that freedom of envy and that total appreciation Amane mana Kirtaniya Sadhari that Lord Caitanya Shikshasta also mentioned to offer respect to others and not any respect for ourselves. This is a wonderful trait that we all want to adopt. But in this regard we want to offer respect also to the devotees of ISKCON who have done something exceptional so that others can also appreciate and learn from them. Also to highlight. Because the point is now people can send in their nominations anywhere in the world and we don't have a very elaborate selection process, but Maharaj wants to elaborate it more and more. But at least what it does is it shows that in a particular place, in a particular area, there's someone who's excelled and been an inspiration for that area. So that's also good to learn about and know. And some are for a world, for lifelong achievements, for worldwide achievements, and some are like this, for in a particular area, someone has done something very exceptional. So since we have a long list of people who are going to be aware, we're going to speak a little bit for each person. I think I just leave this introductory note and I want to thank all of you for being here and participating and I hope that you all get inspired and just learn from this that it's not. It's not what you do. It doesn't matter so much exactly what you do, but we should try to do something. I think something was said yesterday of Tamar Vishnu Goswami's party said, be a jack of all trades and a specialist in one, expert in one. So this is something we want to try to do very nicely. And in the devotional service, we want to be able to do a little bit of everything. And some people are expert actually in many things. I think Bahladananda Maharaj is expert in so many things. So we have so many different devotees who are expert in anything. But at least you want to highlight some area that people, people have excelled in and in this way give some inspiration, give them some appreciation so that everyone will inspire. All of you will try to excel in something, maybe book distribution, maybe Devi worship. It may be congregational preaching, it may be scientific preaching, it may be cooking or any particular. I mean, there's so many unlimited services in iskcon. Try to become very expert in particulars that you like to do for ka. And that will be a very big contribution because then you can also help to train other people. You can help to be an inspiration for others. And I hope that all of you get inspired from this program. Hare Krishna. Thank you very much. So now the formal part of this introductory. The formal part is over. Now we go to the award and we hand back the chairmanship to His Holiness Bhakti Sul Dhava Dharmaraj, chairman of the award ceremony and his master of ceremonies. Now I am liberated from this. Hare Krishna.

Thank you. Thank you.

Okay.

We'Re going to call here. Some of the devotees are not here. Some devotees will receive the award for the devotees that are not present at this moment in here. And a speaker will talk about that award. You want to talk sitting down or come here and talk?

All right.

So the first global Excellence Award for 2003 is for his Holiness Inderjumina Swami. For the category of congregational preaching, we want to call here Uttama Shloka Das.

Who'S going to speak on him is.

The speaker of you Jaipatak Maharaj. And we speak in appreciation. This is in appreciation of his dedicated service and inspiring leadership in the field of congregational preaching.

We know how His Holiness in the sway Maharaj through his festival preaching and as well as his tours all over.

The world.

To promote his different festivals that he's done. The Rath Yaptra in Durban, the different. He just did a Harinam festival in Australia where for five or six hours they were chanting Harinam on the Main beach in the Bonsai beach, they call it Bondi beach in Sydney where there was about a half a million people and they were just chanting there the whole New Year's Eve night. He's inspired many people to join the congregation and also to become devoted. And I think the congregation will be probably also festivals because today in iskcon he's still the one that's organizing festivals to inspire the congregation to make many new contacts of people. I remember I tried to visit at least one of his festivals every year just to show my appreciation and to help in any way. Past few years I visited his Woodstock festival in Poland. Of course, not his festival. I mean it's a Woodstock, it's a much bigger musical festival. But he's one of the organizers and he's given a very large area to put the ISKCON camp. And he has a massive tent. You see our pandal here is about. How about how many. It's maybe 20 meters. How many meters is that? 30 meters wide? How many meters is it 25 meters wide? By maybe 80 meters or 60 meters long? I'm just kind of guessing. I have no, I mean in the Woodstock it's a hundred meters. It was 100 meters wide. I think by 120 meters. It's like a huge thing. It's like this whole field twice over, just a pandle. And he has 32 tents. He has the Prabhupada tent. He has Indian philosophy tent. He has astrology tent. He has reincarnation tent. He has vegetarian tent. He has Gopi tent, question answer tent, Didi 10. He has the Prashad distribution tent. He has several Indian paraphernalia things, the book distribution tents, water tents. I mean it's like, it's mind boggling. He makes himself one person with his teeth. He has many more tents probably than we have here even in Mayapur for our International Festival. And 500 devotees are on his management team for this festival. The service he gets people from all over Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belorussia and so many places. And for so many months he's going and he makes the contacts, he registers the people and he has a follow up team afterwards to cultivate them. And this has been going on for so many years. So you could put this in many categories. But we definitely want to appreciate with our heartfelt, really heartfelt appreciation the wonderful sacrifice and effort that His Holiness Inder Dhumna, Swami Maharaj is doing. Let's give him a super big hand on his behalf. His disciple.

Please, let's step Forward.

Let'S.

Have a little hands for him.

Okay. He comes on behalf of his grandma Grace Amarena Das. This is the second award for ISKCON overall interest for ISKCON overall interest. And Bakshalpadamodar Maharaj is going to talk his behalf.

Hare Krishna Amaranda Prabhu is a very old disciple of his Divine Prabhupada was first the temple president of Gainesville Iskam center. And he was not a lawyer at the time. But then as we grow in our ISKCON fishing activities that the need has come. So he went to the law school and got the law degree. And so he has been working for ISKCON in order to protect scam in a very important capacity. So he's been working very hard because lawyers are generally very busy. And also he has so much dedicated his life just to protect Sri Prabhupada's movement. So actually we greatly owe to him.

For.

I think they say the pending and scums interest and in very difficult times. So it is a, I think very appropriate say that for the scum general interest that Amaranya Prabhu is a is a awarded this year for his wonderful Shiva. So we all pray that by the blessings Prabhupada and by the blessings of Sister Radha Maharabha so he lived very healthy and important life so that he can continue to protect the Prabhupada's mission for many many years. To.

Thank you Rajinder Nandanadas and we're going to move here in the next category which is book distribution. And that is His Holiness Palada Nanda Swami is here personally. Thank you. And Bakketa Maharaj is going to speak the words.

Pullat Nanda Maharaj. He's a man of many talents, many expertises actually and very dedicated devotee. He's been a devotee for it's about 35 years or so. 35 years and he's still going out on the streets distributing books, face to face with the people, just the regular people moving about in the streets in the western cities all over the world. So it was very, very great service. Not an easy service, not a need of easy services at all. But showing that he's the ideal sannyasi, ideal preacher, completely fearless and completely surrendered to Prabhupada's mission of spreading Ka consciousness, particularly through book distribution. So such a fine example is His Holiness Pradhananda Maharaj.

Please, three vast gods from Sweden, please come forward. So we move into our next award of excellency. That is the category is Daily Worship in appreciation of his dedicated service in D.C. daily worship. This is his grace Dharma Harmiya Das Pujaya Kushnas Gar Sweden. I ask you, Srinivas Das from Sweden to come here. Okay, he's stepping. Thank you. And Gopakrishna, you speak in behalf.

Actually, I really do not know the pucharity. Well, I was over there for the BVT meeting last year and I was very impressed by the standard of deity worship that was going on in the temple there. So he definitely deserves an abroad. The deities were being dressed up very nicely every day and everything looked very punctual and attractive. Even now the temple has gone through a lot of financial hardship. The deity worship standard with all has been changed. So he definitely deserves this recognition.

Amy knows that he would say interesting to be there.

Thank you. Thank you. Srinivas Das for Sweden. We ask here Bhakta Andre from Vladivostad. Is he here? Please step forward and we go moving our fifth global excellence award. And that is the category of Prashada distribution. Yami. And in appreciation of her dedicated service in Prashada distribution, that is Srimati Vishnu Priya Devidasi director of Hare Krishna Kappa in Vladivostok, Russia.

All right, give a hand.

Come on, give it a hand.

Serious business.

Yeah, she's not here.

It's getting the in her behalf. And Gopa Krish Maharaj speaks the words in here on her behalf, please.

Most of you probably do not know where Daly Bak is. It's at the far end of Russia, closer to Japan, but it's a part of Russia. So this restaurant is right in the heart of the city. And in this restaurant we also have a Bonatai temple. So Vishnu Priya, she's about 65 years old, very hard working, lives in a small room in that restaurant in the basement. And she's been running this restaurant for the last eight, nine years. And now the restaurant and the restroom there is a very powerful preaching tool. But this award will be. She definitely deserved this award. She's gone through a lot of financial difficulties, but she went on with her service and now the restaurant is breaking even and it's giving us a good reputation in Padiwashtra.

All right, thank you. Okay, we move here next please. I ask Rajaraj temple president. I think is Consuliguri.

Please.

Thank you.

Step forward here.

Remove a sixth category Global excellence award. And that is for establishing new Vedic temple. And this in appreciation of their dedicated service in establishing a new Vedic temple in the Isconsiliguri outstanding temple in there. And that is the devotees of ISKCON Siliguri. And in their behalf Rajaraj Prabhu and presidents coming and getting the award for them and Jabatak Maharaj speak on their behalf.

Hi Bishop, I'm speaking on behalf of the GBC.

That.

This team of devotees a sylligary like in India. They have what they call the big metros like Calcutta, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore. Then you have the secondary cities like Ahmedabad, Baroda, Coimbatore. Then you have the third level cities. Maybe Siliguri is somewhere like there. It's not like even the first or second, maybe third or fourth level. But they made the fourth largest temple in East Kan India and they work. And it's a beautiful temple with artwork, with the design. And it's really been a labor of love. It's worthwhile. It's only an hour flight from here or an overnight train ride. Sometimes go there. From there you can also go up if you want to Darjeeling or Sikkim and see the Himalaya Mountains. You can go to Nepal from there. It's in the foothills of the Himalayas. It's the end of the plain. And they made this very beautiful temple. It's like a miniature Navatid Dham with the main temple in the center. The Panchatatva and Radha Marava, Sundara and Lalita Bissaga. And around they have nine little temples which are still to be fully installed. But each one is representing or eight rather each one is representing one of the nine islands of the Navajit Dhamma. So it's an amazing project, a lot of vision. And this was. I asked Bradshaw Raj to kindly mention some of the team that helped him to do this. Bruncharaj Das is the local temple president there Hare Krishna. In the meantime, after graduating from university, then our college, he joined Krishna Conscious movement and he's been active. Tell us, what's your something about the one minute message about?

It is my great fortune to receive this most prestigious Global Excellency award. I am completely unqualified. But all credit goes to my Guru Maharaj and GBC Jesolness Jarbhadra Sai Maharaj. His Holiness Bhakti Saro Sai Maharaj, His Holiness Bhakti Purusham, Sai Maharaj and His.

Holiness.

Gauranga Prem Sai Maharaj and all the devotees. Whoever somehow or other involved in developing this Siliguri project. Actually we are very few devotees.

But.

By the mercy of all of you, it become it. It is coming up still worker work is pending within very Short time it will be completed. And also I would like to invite to visit us and inspire us so that we can complete whole project.

Hare Krishna, the main temple is complete, but the nine islands. How many years you worked on that?

10 years.

So brick by brick, over 10 years. They did something really wonderful.

I was there for the opening also and I was very impressed by the setup that kind of worked down there.

Thank you. Thank you, Prabhuji.

So now we move into the seven.

Global award goals for book distribution.

Okay.

In appreciation for his exemplary service for helping to build a gorgeous Venti temple by Book Distribution, I.e. sriman Gopal Nimay does and Jay Pataka son will speak on his behalf. Suman Bhopali, my desk please.

Well, Tirupati temple building and construction is a, I think the first in the history of ISKCON that the temple has been built and is by construction is going on purely from book distribution. I think there's a lot that we can all learn. And so the devotees, they have around about five, let's say stalls, teams. And so they all work together in sips. So the whole day that's book distribution. And this is a very wonderful example that we can all, I think visit and see how they're doing it. I think I was amazed at how this is a wonderful temple structure has been built. I mean, it's coming up by only purely book distribution. And this I think is also quite young but sometimes so enthusiastic. I think this is a very, very exemplary kind of service that we can all admire and follow his example. So I admire these wonderful Vishnu Tirupati.

He's been an inspiration for the other book distributors.

Thank you, Simone Gopali Maidas. We move in for eight Global Excellence award. This is for an appreciation, actually it's academic preaching and in appreciation of his dedicated service in academic preaching. That is His Grace Vasudevadas from Nigeria. And Charuadeshna Das will come in here and receive the award from him. Charadeshna Das is here. Please step forward. Nigeria? Yes, Nigeria. Is he here? We receive his behalf and.

Nomination came from actually His Holiness and sought.

One or two words.

About him is.

That.

In Nigeria that he's doing a wonderful preaching in the academic field.

So.

And also personally I feel that today, I mean in iskcon, I think throughout the world, this academic preaching has become, I think very important part of our preaching activity. I see in India, especially in India, many colleges and universities, engineering schools, medical schools and many other institutions, academic institutions are actually being. We have many, many devotees. Similarly I think uk, Nigeria, and also in other parts of the of the world. I think this academic preaching is a very, very important part of our mission. I think Prabhupada was very much emphasizing of bringing the, you know, the students, community from colleges and universities Temple. And so this is a, I think, a very wonderful example. And I'd like to appreciate our having this type of program also being connected in Nigeria.

Thank you.

No.

Okay.

I'm just going to have Subak Soulimaraj walk around and show you the type of these awards. You can just see it's very beautifully done by the devotees from Bali, I heard, who are carving it in Mavadvi for two days from Burmese teak. Thank you for watching our videos. Be sure to subscribe to our channel. We publish new videos every day. And don't forget to like and share our channel.