About Us
Mission & Vision
Training Program
FAQ
Board of Trustees
Board of Advisors
Course Instructors
Staff
Srila Prabhupada

GBC College for Leadership Development

The GBC College for Leadership Development is ISKCON’s official leadership school where potential candidates will be trained for positions of top leadership in ISKCON.

Srila Prabhupada wanted the GBC to lead ISKCON through good governance and to establish global policies. He also wanted ISKCON to expand, thrive, be well-rooted, and to serve the needs of its devotees and the public alike. To achieve a uniform high level of service there is a need to standardize training, service descriptions, standards of performance, etc. among the various leaders (Regional Secretaries, National Secretaries, etc.) that are already involved in overseeing different parts of the world, and for future upcoming leaders within the movement.

Mission

To help ISKCON leaders to imbibe Srila Prabhupada’s mood, vision, and priorities and to train them in vision, skills and techniques needed to develop and expand a world class movement.

“There is need for intelligent young men to train them up as future leaders and preachers to go all over the world for spreading the messsage of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu” – Letter to Satsvaroop and Hrdyananda, 9 Jan, 1973.

Vision

In order to facilitate the fulfillment of Sril Prabhupada’s desire that ISKCON became a world-class movement, managing his movement with highest standards of excellence, The GBC College of Leadership Development will provide appropraite tools and training to educate potential leaders:

So they can thoroughly evaluate and understand Srila Prabhupada’s instructions as well as the intent and context of those instructions.
So they can have effective communication skills, sound decision making skills, and serve with integrity and accontability.
So they can be transparent in their dealings and thus build a sense of trust throughout the ISKCON Movement.
So they develop a culture of passing down institutional memory thus creating best practices for the organization and forming a long-term consistency in all levels of leadership.
So they can live in harmony and can balance the duties of leadership, management and personal spiritual and material development.
So they create a sense of deveotee care, unity and camaraderie among fellow leaders, management and all community members.
So they are enthusistic about spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world.

Training Program

The training program consists of five modules:

Spiritual Excellence (hearing; chanting; Vaisnava etiquette; devotee care; outreach etc.)
Personal Effectiveness (time management; balancing work, service, family life etc.)
Relationship Effectiveness (supportive communication; team building; conflict resolution; coaching and mentoring etc.)
Organizational Effectiveness (leadership; goal setting; building effective systems; team building; strategic planning; performance measurement; project management etc.)
Functional Effectiveness (legal and compliance; temple administration; accounting; budgeting; financial management; risk management; facility management; Deity worship standards; ISKCON laws and GBC resolutions; ISKCON’s organizational structure and systems; farm communities; child protection etc)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enroll in the college?
Admission to the college is by invitation. Potential students are
recommended by their local GBC representative and a selection process
takes place. Selected candidates are invited to join the program.

Will students become GBC members?
The GBC College for Leadership Development is not specifically or
exclusively designed to groom future GBCs. The intention of the GBC is
to assist in creating better leaders; devotees who can deeply imbibe
Srila Prabhupada’s mood and instructions and who can give shelter to
devotees and help them feel happy in Krishna consciousness.

The present training program is focused on preparing future Zonal Supervisors,
who will help the GBC Zonal Secretaries to oversee their zones. On the
other hand, the caliber of the present participants is such that the
likelihood for some of them to become GBCs is very high.

Board of Trustees

H.G. Gauranga Das

H.G. Devakinandan Das (Singapore)

H.G. Rupanuga Das

Former Trustees

H.H. Romapada Swami

H.H. Radhanath Swami

H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami

H.H. Bhakti Vijnana Swami

H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami

H.G. Laxmimoni Devi dasi

H.G. Bala Govinda Prabhu

H.G. Kaunteya Das

Board of Advisors

H.H. Krsna Ksetra Swami

H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Swami

H.H. Devamrita Swami

H.G. Sesa Prabhu

H.G. Anuttama Prabhu

H.G. Devakinandana Prabhu

H.H. Yadunandana Swami

H.G. Krishna Chandra Prabhu

H.G. Keshava Prabhu

H.G. Vrishabhanu Prabhu

H.G. Radha Giridhari Prabhu

H.G. Radhika Ramana Prabhu

H.G. Ajay Piramal

Former Advisors

H.G. Srinathji Prabhu

H.G. Gopala Bhatta Prabhu

Online Course Instructors

H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami

H.G. Champakalata Devi Dasi

H.G. Gauranga Dasa

H.G. Jai Nitai Dasa

H.G. Kalakantha Dasa

H.G. Kaunteya Dasa

H.G. Radha Krsna Dasa

H.G. Radhe Shyam Dasa

H.G. Rupanuga Dasa

H.G. Vaisesika Dasa

Staff

H.G. Ajita Krsna Dasa

H.G. Amritanjali Gaurangi Devi Dasi

H.G. Lalita Manjari Devi Dasi

H.G. Nandini Radha Devi Dasi

H.G. Nija-Dham Dasa

H.G. Rasika Ramana Dasa

H.G. Premanjana Devi Dasi

H.G. Radheswari Padmini Devi Dasi

H.G. Shreeji Kumari Devi Dasi

H.G. Sridevi Radha Devi Dasi

H.G. Varangi Radha Devi Dasi

H.G. Vraja Prana Dasa

H.G. Madana Gopala Dasa

H.G. Smara-hari Dasa

H.G. Lal Gopal Dasa

H.G. Govinda Priya Devi Dasi

H.G. Sanatana Dharma Dasa

H.G. Vipin Bihari Dasa

H.G Rupa Vilas Dasa

H.G Ramacarya Dasa

H.G Bala Krishna Dasa

Former Staff

H.G. Rasa Sindhu Dasa

Srila Prabhupada

When His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada arrived at Boston’s Commonwealth Pier on September 17, 1965 few Americans took notice — but he was not merely another immigrant. He was on a mission to introduce the ancient teachings of Vedic India into mainstream America. Before Srila Prabhupada passed away on November 14, 1977 at the age of 81, his mission proved successful. He had founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and saw it grow into a worldwide confederation of more than 100 temples, ashrams and cultural centers.

GBC College Trains Future Zonal Supervisors

Twenty-five devotees from all over the US and Canada began a Zonal Supervisor Training program, run by the GBC College for Leadership Development, to learn how to become top leaders in ISKCON recently.

Since 2015, the GBC College has trained five groups of leaders in India, one in Russia, one in Latin America, and one in Central Asia – and it is now launching in North America for the first time.

Candidates were hand-picked by their respective GBCs and vetted by the GBC College Admissions Committee. They are reportedly the most diverse group that the College has trained thus far—in terms of age, education, experience, generation, ethnicity, and gender.

GBC College Launches Zonal Supervisor Training in North America –By Rupanuga dasa

The GBC College for Leadership Development finally opened its doors in North America on 24th October 2019 after having started Zonal Supervisor training around the world since 2015—five cohorts of leaders in India, one in Russia, one in Latin America, and one in Central Asia.

The earnest desire of the NA GBC Council, especially Kuladri dasa and Praharna devi dasi, and teamwork of the GBC College core team—Gopal Bhatta dasa, Kaunteya dasa, Gauranga dasa, Bala Govinda dasa, Lalita Manjari devi dasi and Rupanuga dasa—over the past two years culminated in this 17-month training program that started with its first residential session in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, USA. The Council also offered to cover 50% of the cost; the other 50% is borne by the students.