From Outsider to Insider:
Exploring Hindu Studies at HUA
Recent Webinar: Saturday, September 27, 2025, 9 am PT / 12 pm ET / 9:30 pm IST
About the Webinar:
Hinduism is often described as one of the world’s oldest living traditions, yet it is also one of the least understood. To truly study Hinduism means going beyond surface-level views and stereotypes, it means exploring its texts, philosophies, practices, and ways of knowing through both insider and outsider perspectives. Hindu Studies opens up this rich landscape, offering new insights into how the tradition continues to shape lives and societies across the globe.
In this webinar, HUA President Kalyan Viswanathan will share why Hindu Studies is so essential today, how it challenges conventional academic frameworks, and how Hindu University of America is pioneering Hindu Studies in the West. Kalyan Ji will highlight the difference between studying Hinduism from within the tradition versus through external lenses, and why both perspectives matter. Attendees will also gain an understanding of how Hindu Studies can serve as a foundation for deeper exploration in areas such as philosophy, Sanskrit, yoga, culture, and interfaith dialogue.
Whether you are a student, practitioner, educator, or simply curious, this session offers a chance to engage with the big questions: What does it mean to approach Hinduism as a subject of study? How can it expand our worldview and deepen our understanding of human experience? Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that invites you to see Hinduism and Hindu Studies in a new light.
Get to Know panelist
Shri. Kalyan Viswanathan
Shri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of Hindu University of America and Founder of the Sanatana Dharma Foundation, is a dedicated scholar and teacher of Advaita Vedānta committed to advancing the academic study of Hindu Dharma.
Course Offered by Panelist at HUA
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Orientation to Hindu Studies
HSF5000 – (CPHS Required Course) This Course is an important point of entry into the entire curriculum offered by Hindu University of America and a prerequisite for all Graduate level programs. The word ‘Orientation’ in this course title carries two meanings. The first and obvious meaning is that the course will provide an overview of the unique programs, areas of study and courses offered by Hindu University of America. It will ‘orient’ the student towards the university and provide a map of a possible educational journey. The second and not-so-obvious meaning of the word is the idea, that one can approach Hindu Studies from many different angles and vantage points. In the course we will look at these different ‘perspectives’ on Hindu Studies and inquire into the question ‘What does Hindu Studies mean today?’. What is the unique ‘orientation’ that makes Hindu studies at HUA so distinct, profound, and transformative? How does Hindu studies look when viewed from an outsider’s vantage point, especially through the enlightenment era paradigm? And how does it look when viewed from an insider’s paradigm, i.e., a worldview that is authentic to Sanatana Dharma?
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