A Hindu priest opened the third day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) with a traditional Vedic prayer, seeking blessings for a united country. Rakesh Bhatt, a senior priest at the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Maryland, chanted “Om Shanti Shanti” and urged the nation to choose a leader who embodies the ancient Vedic principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — the whole world is one family.
Who is Rakesh Bhatt?
- Pandit Rakesh Bhatt was born into a traditional Madhwa Brahmin family in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He pursued his academic studies with a strong focus on religious texts and languages. Mr Bhatt earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Sanskrit, English and Kannada. He completed his Sanskrit studies at Jayachamarajendra College and his English and Kannada degrees at Osteen College in Bengaluru.
- Mr Bhatt trained under his guru, Pejavar Swamiji, at Udupi Ashta Matha, studying the Rig Veda and Tantrasaara. His dedication earned him the “Satshastra Vidwan” honour from Mantralaya, Uttaradi Matha, and Udupi Ashta Matha, recognising his expertise as a Hindu priest and spiritual leader.
- After completing his training, Mr Bhatt served at Udupi Ashta Matha, Badrinath Temple and Raghavendra Swami Koil in Salem.
- In July 2013, he moved to the US, where he joined the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple (SSVT) as a Hindu priest. At SSVT, he led ceremonies, offered spiritual guidance, and nurtured a sense of community among the temple’s diverse members.
- The Hindu priest is fluent in seven languages – Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, English and Sanskrit.
As the DNC concludes on August 22, Kamala Harris will officially accept the Democratic presidential nomination to take on Republican rival Donald Trump in the November 5 election. US President Joe Biden has expressed his support for Harris, calling her the “best person to save democracy”.
