Quick Facts
Biography
Gopal Krishna Goswami is a religious leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (popularly known as the Hare Krishnas). He was the first Indian disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to be initiated after the establishment of ISKCON. Gopal Krishna Goswami is currently a member of the Governing Body Commission and an initiating guru within the movement.
Biography
Gopal Krishna Goswami was born on 14 August 1944 in New Delhi, India as Gopal Krishna Khanna. After graduating from the University of Delhi, he studied in France, and later studied Business Administration at McGill University in Montreal. After finishing his education, he worked as a marketing research analyst for Pepsi Cola.
He was living in Toronto in May 1968 when he first met with Prabhupada on 1 June 1968. During a three-month period when Prabhupada stayed in Montreal, Gopal Krishna regularly heard from him on devotional topics and took instruction regarding his own personal life. Within two weeks of meeting him, Gopal Krishna Khanna decided to accept Prabhupada as his spiritual master. In May 1969 he was initiated as one of Prabhupada's disciples, receiving the name Gopal Krishna Dasa.
He married his wife in 1970.
Later Gopal Krishna moved into the temple and lived there. He acted as Prabhupada's secretary for several years. In 1975, Prabhupada sent Gopal Krishna to India, giving him the responsibility of being a Governing Body Commissioner within the area, instructing him specifically to print and expand the distribution of his books in India and to translate and print books in Indian languages. Prabhupada was pleased when Gopal Krishna presented him the first copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam translated into Hindi.
In 1981 he took the sannyasa and was initiated into the monastic order of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He took sannyasa initiation from Kirtanananda Swamiand the name, Tridandi Swami Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Since then Gopal Krishna Goswami has been traveling extensively all over the world preaching Gaudiya Vaishnavism, initiating disciples, delivering talks, and overseeing various philanthropic and devotional projects.
Currently Gopal Krishna Goswami is the Governing Body Commissioner of many countries and regions including Delhi, Vrindavan, Mumbai, Mayapur, Chandigarh, Kenya, Canada and parts of North America and Russia.
Gopal Krishna Goswami has been featured on radio, television and newspaper stories in India and abroad commenting on various issues. He has delivered series of lectures to diverse audiences in the last three decades. He regularly delivers lectures at ISKCON temples, speaking on various Hindu scriptures, such as Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana.