Hindu University of America (HUA) Hosts Los Angeles Gala

The 2024 Gala Recognized the Philanthropy of Shri B.U. Patel and the 2026 Gala will Celebrate the Merger of the California College of Ayurveda with HUA.

CERRITOS, CA, UNITED STATES, September 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Los Angeles chapter of Friends of Hindu University of America (HUA) held its inaugural Los Angeles Gala, a landmark event celebrating the merger of California College of Ayurveda (CCA) with HUA, on Saturday, October 26, at the Cerritos Sheraton hotel. The event also honored Shri B. U. Patel's generous philanthropic gift of $1 million to HUA, made at a formative moment in HUA’s journey in 2021.

Speaking on the occasion, in his keynote address, Dr. Marc Halpern said: "Thank you so much for welcoming me into your community. The California College of Ayurveda was founded in 1995 in Nevada City, California. We have a beautiful campus up there in the foothills of the Sierras. To bring together our journey of CCA of almost thirty years with the journey of HUA is truly beyond words for me. We have been promoting the knowledge and principles of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Hindu Dharma all this time. Coming together with the traditional Hindu community is a dream beyond anything I could have imagined. This union is itself a yoga for the benefit of humanity."

Dr. Halpern then offered a prayer to Lord Dhanwantri and invoked his blessings on the upcoming occasion of International Ayurveda Day. Dr. Halpern spoke about his seven-year healing process, which led him through his personal, professional, and spiritual journey to Ayurveda. He wondered what it would look like to bring the best of the West and the best of the East together. He said, Vedic knowledge is the path of understanding how to create harmony in our lives,’ adding that ‘Ayurveda holds the key to healing our communities and the world as it goes deeper into the psyche and consciousness.’ Dr. Halpern received a standing ovation for his remarks.

In his talk, Shri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of the Hindu University of America, said, ‘Marc is now part of the Hindu University of America. A fundamental commitment of this merger between HUA and CCA is the recognition of the growing Western community of spiritual but not religious (SBNR) people in the USA, who have been nurtured in the wake of the many teachers from India who brought Hindu thought to the US. Starting from Swami Vivekananda in 1893, Paramahamsa Yogananda in the early twentieth century, followed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swami Vishnudevananda, Swami Chidananda, Osho, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Mata Amritanandamayi, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, and many more have seeded ideas from Bharat in the West, resulting in this ever-growing community that is now open to Yoga, Ayurveda, meditation, mindfulness, and spirituality in general.’

Speaking on the potential of this merger, Mr. Viswanathan spoke about the possibilities and challenges that lay ahead, highlighting the opportunity for ‘filling the evidentiary gap in Ayurveda that remained a stumbling block when it came to mainstreaming Ayurveda in the West.’ He said that the ‘development of clinical studies, the publication of papers, accreditation standards, procedures for licensure at the state levels, and securing the potential for reimbursements from insurance companies all lay ahead in the future, as milestones yet to be accomplished.’ He also called out the possibility of ‘defining the field of integrative medicine from an Ayurvedic foundation, as opposed to an allopathic as yet another exciting possibility that lay in front of us.’ Shri Kalyan Viswanathan added that ‘creating a university such as HUA is the work of many generations. We are merely marking a significant milestone now. Many more crucial developments in the form of other schools, centers, departments, and institutes will emerge in the next few decades.’ He then called on the Hindu community to embrace HUA and contribute generously towards its growth.

The highlight of the gala event was the honor bestowed on Shri B. U. Patel by Dr. Jashvant Patel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hindu University of America, for his significant contribution towards the growth and mission of HUA at a formative time in its journey of rejuvenation. Dr. Jashvant Patel recalled that ‘when I took over as the Chair of the finance committee of HUA, Shri B. U. Patel and his family were the first stop I made to ask for funds, and the HUA family is deeply grateful to Shri B. U. Patel and Pushpaben for their invaluable contribution to HUA. We cannot acknowledge them enough for their support.’ On behalf of the university, Mr. and Mrs. B U Patel were warmly felicitated with the ‘Dharma Rakshaka’ award inscribed on a plaque. Shri Naresh Solanki, the Mayor of Cerritos, presented a proclamation from the city honoring the Hindu University of America for its contribution, Shri B. U. Patel for his philanthropic gifts that have made a significant impact on society, and Dr. Marc Halpern, who has served the Ayurveda community in the West for nearly three decades.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Jashvant Patel added, As allopathic doctors, we know that we can heal people fast, but Ayurveda excels in providing long-term health. Medical communities globally recognize the value of integrative medicine today, especially that of Ayurveda. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on September 22, and he received the news about the merger of our two institutions with great enthusiasm. He gave us the responsibility to authenticate Ayurveda using modern methods of science and promised the support of the Government of India for our efforts.’

The décor was Diwali-themed. Attendees had the opportunity to celebrate Hindu culture, support HUA's mission of preserving and promoting Hindu traditions, and network with like-minded individuals. The event featured various cultural activities, including a live Bhakti music performance by the renowned duo Ashwin (AKS) & Lakshmi, an exhibition of Hindu-themed paintings and art provided by Shri Srinivas Rao Mangu, and devotional music on the keyboard during lunch by Aniketh Arun, a young and upcoming musician.

Ankur Patel
Hindu University of America
+1 818-470-4019
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
YouTube

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.