RADHANATH SWAMI

In 1950, Radhanath Swami (nee Richard Slavin) was born into a middle class Jewish family in Chicago. At age 19, he set out to wander the world in search of a closer connection to God. Today, Radhanath Swami is one of India’s premier spiritual leaders, with public appearances that draw thousands of followers. Loyal supporters of Radhanath Swami donate millions of dollars each year, all of which is used to head up some of the most highly regarded community service projects in Mumbai. From the formation of a massive food distribution center for indigent children to emergency relief programs to the creation of an orphanage, an eye clinic, and a hospital—his contributions to India are so vast they have earned him a celebrity-like status. And yet Radhanath Swami’s life is anything but glamorous. As a Swami—or “monk exclusively dedicated to God’s services”—he has taken a vow of poverty, celibacy, and abstinence from intoxicants. He has no property, no bank account, and not a penny to his name. But he has found the one thing so many strive to achieve: the path to enlightenment. He has just recently released his new book “THE JOURNEY HOME: Autobiography of an American Swami.” Radhanathswami.com