Board of Trustees, Parliament of the World’s Religions

Swami Varadananda is a Hindu monk of the Ramakrishna Order, which has its headquarters at Belur Math in India. Swami Varadananda joined the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago in 1973, was ordained in 1982, and is now the manager of the center. Of Catholic background, he discovered Vedanta and meditation through books, which led him to discover Swami Vivekanananda, a Hindu monk who introduced Vedanta and Yoga to the West. He has been involved with the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions since the beginning, and currently sits on its Board of Trustees. Based on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and of the Ramakrishna faith, Swami Varadananda is engaged in highlighting the importance and the historic relevance of interreligious dialogue, and the role it plays in bringing cultures together, thus connecting East and West. Biography as at 05.06.18