GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT)

We are servants with the goal of establishing an ISKCON leadership that is accountable and has a clear, meaningful, and realistic vision; leadership that can inspire trust in all members of the ISKCON community. We then assist those leaders to move forward by looking at our past and learning from our mistakes so as to chart a better course for our future. Our team is loyal to Srila Prabhupada and hispresentation of the Gaudiya tradition. We work to protect that legacy for future generations, yet we are acutely aware that relevant, sensitive leadership must be flexible and open to meet the challenges and changes of the future. Our group will use all its skills and varied experiences, and garner whatever other resources are available in order to accomplish these goals. At the same time we will encourage and appreciate the contributions of other ISKCON members in making ISKCON all that Srila Prabhupada wanted it to be.

Team Members

Gopal Bhatta Dasa

Gopal Bhatta Dasa was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1971 in Detroit, US. From 1973 until 1976, Gopal Bhatta Dasa served as a sankirtan leader for the following cities: Cleveland, Detroit, Dallas and Chicago. He was the temple president in Los Angeles from 1977 until 1980. It is unique that Gopal Bhatta das is currently in no position of formal leadership or management within ISKCON but he contributes with an independence that is considered by many to give a fresh perspective. He is the chairperson of the Strategic Planning Team (SPT) that was activated in 2006 and he has created vitality and drive among the team members that are supporting the GBC’s future. His vision for ISKCON is “more devotees, happier devotees.” He has three sons and one daughter, and his home base is Los Angeles, CA.

Kaunteya Dasa

Kaunteya Dasa, a disciple of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, joined ISKCON in 1980 and is a member of the SPT since 2007. He has served in ISKCON as a book distributor, Gurukula teacher, Deputy GBC member and GBC Zonal Secretary. Kaunteya Dasa currently serves as co-chair of the GBC Organizational Development Committee and, together with His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, as co-minister of the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry. He has designed courses on congregational and community development and has presented them in dozens of countries; has compiled books (Bhakti-Vrksa Manual, Super Sunday and The Book of Icebreakers) and has produced twenty issues of the “Congregational Development Journal.” As “Dr Carlo Oppecini” he is professor of Indovedic Psychology and Philosophy at the Bhakti Yoga College, Florida, USA. He also serves as trustee and faculty member of the GBC College for Leadership Development.

Lalita Manjari Devi Dasi

Lalita Manjari Devi Dasi was initiated in 1991 and joined the Strategic Planning Team in 2011 as executive secretary. She was born and raised in ISKCON and educated in Gurukula. She then qualified as a Chartered Accountant and has been working as such since 2001.

Rasa Krida Parayana Dasa

Rasa Krida Parayana Dasa came in contact with  ISKCON in 1986 in Vrindavan. He was initiated by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami in 1993 and on his order began to develop the Shayamadesa Yatra in the Persian Gulf region and expand the Nama Hatta preaching programs. He has been a congregational leader and preacher since 1990. Rasa Krida Parayana Dasa is a certified professional manager from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers &  holds a post-graduate degree in marketing and sales management. He joined the Strategic Planning Team in June 2009. He is also the member of the GBC Organizational Development Committee and the Succession Planning Committee.  Rasa Krida Parayana Dasa’s special areas of interests is the systematic presentation of the Krishna Conscious philosophy with a specific interest in congregational development. He currently resides in the Persian Gulf with his wife Apurva Shakti Devi Dasi and their three children.

Subhananda Dasa

Subhananda dasa, a disciple of HH Partha Sarathi Das Goswami, joined ISKCON in 1993 via the Bhakti Yoga Society at University, after having first developed an appreciation of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in 1988 whilst in grade 8.   He serves as a member of the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) in the role as Divisional Director: Strategic Planning, since 2013.  In addition, he serves as a member of the GBC Organizational Development Committee. He has served as a member of the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple Management Board (Durban, South Africa), focusing on the Strategic and Facilities Management of the Temple, and also a director of Food for Life South Africa. In the secular world he has experience across a spectrum of industries, in part, assisting companies to stabilize, improve and grow their businesses to meet their vision. He is a post graduate in the field of Engineering, Construction IT and Strategy Management.  He aspires to be objective, to always consider the bigger picture, to be a team player and to bring a balanced view in any deliberation.

Vraja Vihari Dasa

Vraja Vihari Dasa joined ISKCON in 1977, and is part of the Strategic Planning Team from its inception in 2006. From 1978 to 1988 he was a member of ISKCON Detroit’s sankirtan team. He then moved to Vrindavan and served at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education from 1989-2010. In 2002 he formed ISKCONResolve where he still serves as co-director. Vraj Vihari Dasa has a master’s degree in conflict resolution and has published several papers on the subject. He lists his special interests in Krishna consciousness as teaching from Srila Prabhupada’s books. He presently lives in Maryland with his wife Ananda Vrindavanesvari Devi Dasi and their son Gopinath.