His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami is an inspirational leader and one of the foundational members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He was born in Bengal in 1945 and spent most of his early life in the city of Calcutta. In 1970, he left India to study chemistry in Germany. Uncovering Vedic (ancient Indian) literature whilst in Germany, he discovered the richness of India’s spiritual heritage. In 1975 he returned to India to wholeheartedly pursue a spiritual life.
After thoroughly studying the Vedic scriptures, Bhakti Charu Swami became aware of the need to find a spiritual master who could lead him on a sound spiritual course. After travelling to the Himalayas and searching for one year without coming across a spiritual master to whom he could fully surrender, he felt despondent and disappointed.
When he almost gave up hope, he came across a book called The Nectar of Devotion by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada).