Faculty – Community Education (Civilizational Studies)
Dr. Damal Kandadai Hari serves as faculty at HUA’s Community Education level and co-leads the Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies (CHCS) program with his wife, Dr. Hema Hari.
Together, Dr. D.K. Hari and Dr. D.K. Hema Hari co-founded Bharath Gyan, an initiative dedicated to preserving and propagating Indian knowledge systems through an Indic lens. Since 2000, they have undertaken an interdisciplinary exploration of Indian civilization, producing over 500 hours of multimedia content across 108+ subjects, authoring more than 40 books (translated into multiple Indian languages), creating 300+ short films, 5 documentaries, 60+ mini books, and publishing over 600 articles. Their work also includes daily cultural heritage reflections shared on social media. Dr. Hari has delivered over 250 joint multimedia talks in India and abroad, addressing academic institutions, world conferences such as the World Sanskrit Conference, TED Talks, corporate audiences, and cultural forums. Their mission is to present an integrated, authentic narrative of Bhārata’s civilizational continuity.
Prior to founding Bharath Gyan, Dr. Hari had a distinguished career in management. Educated at Rishi Valley School and Madras Christian College, he earned a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from P.S.G. College of Technology, Coimbatore. Over two decades, he held leadership roles in family-run businesses across the Oil & Gas and FMCG sectors and led the marketing division of a construction materials firm for 12 years, successfully building its brand and distribution network in India and abroad.
Beyond academia, he serves on the boards of esteemed institutions including Hindu Mission Hospital, Valluvar Gurukulam, Dakshina Chitra, Sri Dev Kunwar Nanalal Bhat Vaishnava College, Bala Vidya Mandir School, Prof. K.V. Sarma Research Foundation, and Bodhidharma Dojo Foundation. His contributions have earned multiple honors, including the Shri B.R. Haran Memorial Award, the Visalakshi Award from the Art of Living Foundation, and an Honoris Causa Doctorate from Sri Sri University. His work has been recognized by luminaries such as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Shri Amitabh Bachchan, Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, and Swami Dayananda Saraswati.