The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS), which will mark its 25th anniversary this year, recently announced a major milestone – securing a permanent home for Hindu Studies in Oxford. The newly purchased property, which OCHS plan to develop it in the coming years, will become the world's first purpose-built campus for Hindu Studies.
“Let’s take a moment to reflect on this achievement and the impact it will have on our future,” wrote OCHS Director Shaunaka Rishi Das in the announcement.
The OCHS was founded in 1997 as the world’s first academy of its kind for the study of Hindu culture. Since its inception the centre has attracted scholars and students from around the globe, launched pioneering educational projects, and opened up the field of Hindu Studies for an international audience.
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With this exciting next step, the centre plans to set down permanent roots in Oxford, establishing a model that others can replicate and setting a benchmark for others to follow.
The centre aims to house 100,000 books, and provide facilities for teaching, lecturing, dining, and chaplaincy, the purpose-built academy hopes to make the new campus an intellectual hot-house - bringing students and scholars together from all over the world and allowing them to freely explore all things Hindu.
The Hindu Studies centre will enable OCHS to expand their impact in classrooms, homes, and temples internationally, be it through research, publishing, teaching or online education.
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OCHS’ announcement sets out its next phase as: turning words into bricks and securing an endowment, for which they will be looking to expand their team of helpers and ambassadors.
