Samadarshini - Seeing Equally
“Samadarshini: Seeing Equally” is an anthology of personal essays written by religious leaders from diverse Hindu and other South Asian traditions. While the contributors to this volume come from different regions of India and the world, they are united in the conviction that their spiritual commitments challenge casteism, racism, gender discrimination, religious exclusivism, and other inequalities.
The unique voices of the contributors help us to understand their traditions and journeys. Each offers us resources for unity, healing and inclusivity in the midst of growing global injustice.
About Samadarshini
Samadarshini manifests a radically inclusive Hinduism that affirms the equal dignity and value of every human being. We aim to be a spiritual home for Hindus who recognize the interdependent nature of our existence and our moral obligation to care for each other and our earth. We celebrate our unity that calls us to identify with others in joy and sorrow and resist all structures that perpetuate suffering.
Our Vision
Our Partners
Samadarshini is proud to be partnering with Union Theological Seminary and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Central to these relationships is a theological commitment to uplifting sacred practices that promote liberation and social justice, and we are excited to work with them to build and promote our work.
Our mission is to identify and articulate interpretations of Hindu sacred texts, rituals, and practices that commend justice, human dignity, and democracy. We commit to spreading the teachings and practices of Hindu traditions that reject caste, patriarchy, Islamophobia, and other hierarchies of oppression.
Our Mission
Steering Committee
is Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at Saint Olaf College. He is also co-president of Religions for Peace. Rambachan has been involved in the field of interreligious relations and dialogue for over 30 years, as a Hindu participant and analyst. He is the author of several books including The Advaita Worldview: God, World and Humanity (SUNY Press, 2012), Theology of Liberation: Not-Two is Not One (SUNY Press, 2014), Essays in Hindu Theology (Fortress, 2019). His writings include a series of commentaries on the Ramayana. The British Broadcasting Corporation transmitted a series of 25 of his lectures around the world.
Dr. Anantanand Rambachan
lives in the United States, and devotes herself to faith-based social justice work. She has cofounded Hindus for Human Rights and Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and has spent more 15 years building inclusive and anti-caste Hindu community.
Sunita Viswanath
has been a board member of Hindus for Human Rights since 2020, leading several initiatives such as the creation of HfHR’s annual progressive Hindu calendar, state and local legislative advocacy efforts in Oregon and Massachusetts, and Hinduism 101 training development for the U.S. Department of Justice. Her writing on Hindu nationalism and the work of Hindus for Human Rights has been published in The India Forum, Scroll, and American Kahani. She is a 2024 graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Master’s in Public Policy program and a 2018 Harry S. Truman Scholar. She currently lives in Oregon.
Sravya Tadepalli
is an internationally-recognized higher education leader, advocate, consultant and author. Pandit Raja (pronouns: they/them/theirs) comes from a long lineage of Hindu scholars and is a proud queer and gender non-conforming person of color, 1.5 generation immigrant, first-generation college student and spiritual practitioner. They hold a PhD and Master of Arts degrees in Higher Education and Organizational Change from UCLA, and have been featured on NPR, BBC and numerous other media outlets. Pandit Raja was an inaugural Racial Equity Fellow with Interfaith America and has been named a Fulbright Specialist for 2023-2026.
Pandit Dr. Raja Ghopal Bhattar
is a researcher, curator, journalist, and organizer focused on religion and politics in South Asia and the South Asian diaspora, and a PhD candidate in Religion at Emory University (South Asian Religions). A 2024–25 Luce Scholar affiliated with the International Centre for Ethnic Studies in Colombo, Sri Lanka, they recently taught “Religion and Resistance in Sri Lanka and Beyond” and curate Voices of Bhakti, a digital archive of translated South Asian poetry on religion, caste, and gender. Their work spans advocacy, consulting, and research with organizations including Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, Hindus for Human Rights, the Aspen Institute, GreenFaith, and the International Commission for Dalit Rights, and their reporting has appeared in outlets such as Religion News Service and Foreign Policy, with support from the Pulitzer Center.
Nikhil Mandalaparthy
is the Founder and CEO of Chingaree Consulting, LLC, an initiative that was established to prevent harm to communities of color and preserve their complex identities. As a part of her work through Chingaree, Sapna serves as an officiant or pandita, conducting progressive and feminist wedding ceremonies rooted in Hindu ritual. She holds a B.A. in Religion (focusing on Hinduism and Islam) and Biology, as well as a Masters degree in Public Health. Sapna lives in the U.S. with her wife, their amazingly adventurous child, and adorable puppy. She enjoys travel, food, live music and dancing to everything from Bharatanatyam to bachata and in between.
Sapna Pandya
is a leadership and culture advisor who works with Fortune 500 firms, Native American nations, NGOs, and colleges around the world. Grounded in years of spiritual practice and guidance from their Guru, their work is shaped by a deep conviction that religious and ethical traditions can be sources of transformation and renewal. They draw inspiration from the devotional and artistic worlds of South Asia—including Madhubala’s “Jab Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya,” a touchstone for their collaboration with Hindus for Human Rights—and remain committed to the power of beauty, music, and the divine to help replenish and reimagine our shared worlds.
Punya Upadhyaya
Contribute to our mission
Samadarshini is building a radically inclusive Hinduism—one that honors the dignity of every human being and resists the forces of caste, patriarchy, and religious bigotry. We offer a spiritual home for Hindus who are committed to justice, care for the Earth, and interdependence with all living beings.
Your support helps us uplift interpretations of Hinduism that center liberation and equality. With your help, we can continue to build inclusive communities, produce educational resources, and deepen the spiritual practices that sustain our collective commitment to a more just world.
Join us in shaping a Hinduism rooted in compassion, dignity, and democracy.