ISKCON NewsThe News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Many Hindus celebrate Christmas. Inundated by Christmas cheer and pressured by their children, Christmas has become part of the lives of diaspora Hindus.

Until recently, the 1,000 or so Hindus serving in the US military - and their families - lacked a military confidant who understood their religion and culture. But now Captain Pratima Dharm has been appointed as the US military's first Hindu chaplain.

As many as 500 inmates of the Coimbatore Central Prison were presented with copies of the Bhagavad Gita with the help of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Copies of the books were handed over by District Collector M. Karunagaran at a function held at the prison premises on Saturday.

Russian ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin regretted that the case was being heard in the university city of Tomsk, famous for its secularism and religious tolerance, and reiterated the secular credentials of Russia.

The Hindu American community expressed shock and outrage over a recent attempt in Russia to ban the Bhagavad Gita, one of Hinduism’s holiest scriptures.

Yamuna Devi, a pioneer and influential early western convert of the Hare Krishna movement, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), passed away early on the morning of December 20th in Melbourne Beach, Florida.