Board of Directors

Buddhimanta Das

A mechanical engineer who took the management and human behavioural study courses from AIM, Melbourne (Australian Institute of Management). He brings a total of 34 years of working experience, including 14 years in employment and 20 years in business as an industrialist based in Noida.

He connected with ISKCON in Melbourne, Australia in 1994 and returned to India in 2003 to provide his children greater exposure to Indian culture and family values. He has been serving at ISKCON NOIDA since 2003.

Kartik Bhavsar

An Industrial–Organizational Psychologist and leadership advisor with over two decades of experience designing and leading assessment, coaching, and leadership development solutions in complex, distributed enterprises. His work centers on helping organizations strengthen leadership capability and bench readiness through assessment-led development.

Kartik has held senior roles in talent assessment and development, integrating psychometrics, 360 feedback, and coaching into practical development goals. He is based in Columbia, Missouri, and works nationally in remote-first and hybrid environments.

Lal Gopal Das

Sri Lal Gopal Das is a spiritual leader who delivers discourses on Vedic scriptures, such as the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vishnu Puranam, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Vedanta texts. He is a lifelong student and guide of India’s sacred Vedic tradition, illuminating timeless truths for modern seekers.

Lal Gopal Das holds a Master’s Degree in Information Technology from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and currently works as a Director for a Telecom company specializing in cybersecurity. For the past two decades, he has lectured at numerous organizations including ISKCON St. Louis, Washington University, and St. Louis University.

He served as President of ISKCON St. Louis for five years (until May 2024) and now serves as Zonal Supervisor for multiple ISKCON centers in Missouri and Illinois. He also manages the "Daily Gita Bytes" YouTube channel with over 1,000 discourses delivered.

Nadia Kishore Das

An IT professional who joined the Krishna conscious movement in 2008 and was initiated by HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaj. As a dedicated service, Nadia Kishore Das focuses on cooking, creating films and dramas, and delivering spiritual classes in both English and Telugu on the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

Niraj Arora

Niraj Arora is a neurologist-neurointensivist affiliated with the University of Missouri, Columbia. He is a practicing spiritualist under the principles of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and believes deeply that spiritual education is vital for understanding the true essence of life.

Garima Srivastava

Treasurer

Garima Srivastava is a PhD in Rural Sociology at the University of Missouri, with an interdisciplinary background spanning Environmental Planning and Architecture. Her research focuses on the intersection of agriculture, sustainability, and social equity.

Guided by a deep spiritual path and devotion to her Aradhya, she champions a life of minimalism and sustainability. She views faith not as a retreat, but as a practical methodology—using spiritual principles to drive collective, action-oriented solutions to social and material challenges. For her, WISE is the vital bridge between her inner conviction and the purposeful use of resources, serving as her ultimate pathway to lasting bliss.

Rachna Aneja Arora

President

A biomedical research scientist with a doctorate in Protein Biochemistry and more than two decades of Academic Research at premier Research Institutes in India and in the United States. Her quest for scientific discoveries opened avenues for the inward spiritual journey.

A thoughtful spiritual seeker, she takes shelter of the timeless Vedic wisdom to unlock the inner potential towards realizing the higher purpose of life. Spiritual Philosophy under the umbrella of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) drives her scientific quest for the more holistic well-being for each and everyone.

Parijat Ghosh

Secretary

Her spiritual journey has been a process of growth, reflection, and learning to better understand herself and the world around her. As a learner on this path, she continues to explore new perspectives, question assumptions, and seek deeper meaning in everyday experiences.

While the journey is ongoing and sometimes challenging, it has helped her develop greater awareness, patience, and a sense of purpose—qualities she brings to her role with WISE Columbia.