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Anju Bhargava
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Anju Bhargava is a Risk and Strategic Business Transformation management consultant. She has provided thought leadership in the public and private sectors, published papers and received many awards. She is the only Hindu American appointed to President Obama’s Inaugural Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Secretary Napolitano's Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council and was the only Indian-American to serve in the Community Builder Fellowship, President Clinton’s White House initiative. She is the Founder of Hindu American Seva Charities*, which is now becoming a national movement for Hindu faith-based community service programs addressing social issues. A Vedantic teacher, she strives to combine philosophy and practice from a contemporary view and is active in interfaith collaboration. She was a founding member of the New Jersey Corporate Diversity Network, former President of Asian Indian Women in America (AIWA) and a Trustee of Council for a Parliament of World Religions. *Hindu American Seva Charities is a progressive American organization advancing seva (community service), interfaith collaboration, pluralism, social justice, sustainable civic engagement to ignite grassroots social change and build healthy communities.

Blog Entries by Anju Bhargava

Change Comes From Within Our Communities: Hindus United Against Domestic Violence

(2) Comments | Posted April 26, 2013 | 3:24 PM

This April, I found myself celebrating a range of Hindu festivals and finding the social justice voice everywhere, UtsavSeva, faith in action... through Festivals of Service.

It started with Ugadhi celebrating the New Year, the end of an era, at the Telugu Association. More...

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Anyone Can Do Seva! A Hindu American High Schooler's Serendipity Moment

(6) Comments | Posted April 9, 2013 | 12:22 PM

During the month of April, Hindu Americans celebrate the birth of Honor, Dharma and Bhakti such as through Ramnavami, Hanuman, Mahavir, Swaminarayan Jayantis.

In this spirit of devotion exemplified by the festivities to honor the luminaries born this month, many participate in community service,

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Celebrating the Interfaith Social Justice Message of Swami Vivekananda

(2) Comments | Posted January 17, 2013 | 5:23 PM

With billions around the world, Hindu American Seva Communities (HASC) honors Swami Vivekananda on his 150th birth anniversary. For HASC, Dharmic Seva and Vivekananda's message is the catalyst to building Pluralistic Communities and also honoring mother earth.

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We are grateful...

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Mainstreaming Hindu and Dharmic Americans and Values: Reflections on the Obama Impact

(0) Comments | Posted January 2, 2013 | 10:14 AM

What a year! 2012...

As it ends, it brings a closure to the first term of President Obama's administration. Having worked closely with the Administration from its early days, as a community builder, now I pause and reflect on the Obama impact to the Dharmic community. When I first got...

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Upholding Dharmic Values of Self Reliance: Protecting our Temples, Gurudwaras and Places of Worship

(4) Comments | Posted December 4, 2012 | 8:45 AM

America values the individual contribution and empowers its citizens to self govern their communities at the local, state and national levels. Volunteerism and community service are an integral part of our national consciousness and the very backbone of our communal existence. Values that resonate with...

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Bringing Dharma, Seva, Shakti and Yoga to the Political Forefront

(2) Comments | Posted October 16, 2012 | 11:00 AM

As I watched the vice presidential debate last week I saw how comfortable we, as a nation, are about religion as part of the political and personal life. Both candidates discussed the impact of their faith in their life. How it shapes their policies. It was clear their faith identities...

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Invoking Ganesh Principles and Pluralistic Dharmic Seva to Positively Impact American Politics

(1) Comments | Posted September 19, 2012 | 12:09 PM

Hindu Americans across the world will observe Holy Festival of Ganesh Chaturthi through prayers, as a day of the birth and renewed remembrance of Ganapati (gana=senses, isha=divinity, pati=leader), the remover of obstacles. Ganesha is also known as Ganapati, leader of senses, by controlling our mind we transform ourselves...

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Dharmic Next Generation Seva Leaders: 'We Are All Sikhs Today'

(0) Comments | Posted August 10, 2012 | 8:34 AM

What a difference a few hours make. Just this past weekend, on August 3rd and 4th, Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) co-hosted a conference with the White House - Dharmic American Future: Seva, Innovation and Tradition. Within 24 hours of our conference, the attack on the Sikh...

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Dharun Ravi, Bullying and Seva

(61) Comments | Posted March 27, 2012 | 4:15 PM

The recent trial of Dharun Ravi is another wake up call for our country, specially the Indian American community of diverse faiths. As we become part of America in all aspects, of the society at large, we will see more and more of our community members fall in small and...

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Transforming Communities: Siva Principle of Change in Action

(0) Comments | Posted February 27, 2012 | 9:27 AM

Around the world, this week, Hindus celebrated Maha Shivaratri. Shiva symbolizes removal of negativity of life (Shiva in reverse is visha which means poison). The ashes of Shiva imply that in the end all differences end, they burn and we become equal. Tremendous energy (shakti) is required to...

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Makar Sankranti: An Opportunity to Serve Mother Earth

(106) Comments | Posted January 14, 2012 | 5:23 PM

Today, more than ever, we need to come together to understand the interconnectedness of people, faith and, of course, nature in our lives. It is only by recognizing the sacredness of all creation can we honor and protect it. Climate change calls for us to serve Mother Earth (Bhumi Seva)...

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Thanksgiving and Seva

(1) Comments | Posted November 29, 2011 | 9:48 AM

The benefits of these challenging times is that we see more clearly the gifts we have been given. What would our life be like without the caring love of our friends and families, the opportunity to have learned from and be loved by those who are no longer with us,...

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Interfaith Seva: A Call to Serve in Kentucky

(9) Comments | Posted November 8, 2011 | 11:06 AM

Kentucky's Gubernatorial candidate's deplorable anti-Hindu remarks reflect an education and understanding gap. Many Hindus, including those at Hindu American Seva Charities, believe the answer is a call to action to serve. We need to build bridges of understanding in Kentucky and around the world.

The history of our country...

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White House Diwali Emphasizes Seva

(3) Comments | Posted November 4, 2011 | 10:27 PM

The White House celebrated Diwali invoking the spiritual significance for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, and recognized the contributions of the Dharmic community. The White House also highlighted its efforts to reach out and include the community in the government process and in service.

President Obama remarked:

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Diwali Lights Community Building in America and Around the World

(3) Comments | Posted October 26, 2011 | 12:32 PM

Diwali signifies the joyous victory of good over evil and Utsavseva (Festivals of Service) promotes selfless service. Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) is leading a national effort to invoke these values to honor the 10th anniversary of 9/11 on November 6th, 2011.

Diwali is an American...

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It Is Time To Invoke History's 'Other 9/11' Of Nonviolence And Global Interfaith Dialogue

(3) Comments | Posted September 8, 2011 | 10:35 AM

Today in America, "9/11" has become synonymous with an event of terrorism that changed America. Much has happened. Yes, indeed, much has changed!

But the American spirit of goodness, compassion and patriotism remains as strong as ever. This has allowed an interfaith movement to sweep through the country. It...

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Raksha Bandhan: An Opportunity for Social Cohesion

(8) Comments | Posted September 6, 2011 | 12:24 PM

One of the deepest and noblest of human emotions is the bond of love between a brother and a sister. Hindus around the world celebrated the chaste relationship of protection and friendship between brothers and sisters recently. This emotional bonding is celebrated by tying a holy thread,

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The Consequences Of Shattering A Faith Glass Ceiling

(13) Comments | Posted August 10, 2011 | 9:08 AM

The economic situation in the country is affecting us all; and those affected the most are hit hardest. "Around 14 million people in the U.S. are jobless today. Yet, several states -- even some that are experiencing economic recoveries -- have begun to cut jobless benefits, according to recent data...

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Dharmic Seva and Vivekananda: The Catalyst to Building Pluralistic Communities

(8) Comments | Posted July 20, 2011 | 3:44 PM

The Dharmic American community has an immense, untapped potential to serve at home and abroad. Dharmic Seva can become a catalyst to strengthening and building pluralistic communities. Our ancient expression, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The Whole World is One Family) is a key principle driving Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) as we...

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Memorial Day Reflections: Honor and Seva

(3) Comments | Posted May 29, 2011 | 9:43 PM

The month of May gives us many occasions to honor and remember those who served...

This month, we honor the birth of many great proponents of Vedic heritage Adi Shankaracharya, Buddha, Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Amardas whose influence is felt as much today as it was in their...

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