Acyuta Priya Dasa

Born in 1962.
School and then Kiev College of Industrial Arts. Have diploma of a designer. Artist.
Grhastha from 1980, married to Tungavidya-sakhi dd.
Became a devotee along with the wife in 1980, in Kiev, just after got married. This was a time when Ukraine was a part of Soviet Union. Krsna consciousness was deeply underground, being a new and foreign religion. ISKCON was not yet manifested as organisation in USSR.
In May 1982 was conscripted in Soviet army for two years. Secretly practiced Krsna consciousness during military service.
May 1984. Came back from army. Was organising underground translation, production and distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books in Ukraine. Was responsible for gathering information about persecution of Hare Krsnas in USSR (for Ukraine part) and sending this information to Western media and Kirtiraja Prabhu (GBC for USSR at that time) through Moscow.
Was prosecuted by KGB, Prosecuting magistracy. Went through arrests, search, surveillance. Took part in first protest demonstrations meant to legalize ISKCON in USSR and to free Soviet Hare Krsnas from jails and mental hospitals.

  1. Started namahatta preaching at his flat in Kiev. With the first group of Soviet Hare Krsnas visited India for pilgrimage.
    1989-1992 – Opened preaching center in downtown Kiev. Took service of Temple President in Kiev. Took responsibility for building big temple in Kiev. Was involved in book distribution in Ukraine.
    1992-2015 – Regional Secretary in Ukraine and Moldova (including Transnister). Extensive traveling and preaching in that zone.
    1998 – Started teaching Bhakti-sastri course in Kiev.
    1998— Was appointed as Deputy to assist GBC at AGM. Continue this service up till March 2024.
    2007 — Started Devotee care program and developing congregation both in Kiev and other communities in Ukraine/Moldova. As a result in Kiev (2022) there were functioning 98 hamahatta and counsellor groups. Organised National Council of Counsellors for Ukraine/Moldova. Counsellor educational retreats for the sone with 400-600 counsellors and namahatta group leaders participating twice a year up till the beginning of the war in 2022.
    2015—Took a course in GBC College for Leadership Development, graduated with diploma of that course.
    2016—Appointed as Zonal Supervisor for Zone of Ukraine/Moldova/Transnister. Continue this service up till being appointed in 2024 as a GBC member.
    2017—Started teaching Bhaktivaibhava course in Ukraine/Moldova, 240 classes totally for the course.
    2023 — Started teaching Bhaktivedanta course.
    Member of the ISKCON Ukraine Marriage Board for 25 years.
    Active in PR connections for media, government, interreligious dialogue.
    At present extensively traveling and preaching in Ukraine/Moldova. Visiting 5-7 temples/communities monthly with a lot of personal devotee counselling.