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		_MISSION The mission of Muktabodha Indological Research Institute is to recover and preserve endangered treasures of India's religious and philosophical wisdom and make them accessible for study and scholarship, and ultimately as a resource for humanity. Muktabodha's primary projects are: While India is becoming a world leader in the new forms of knowledge as embodied in the hard sciences, much of India’s traditional wisdom and heritage is in danger of being lost. The Indian subcontinent holds an immense treasury of manuscripts and orally transmitted knowledge grounded in the unique experiences and universal wisdom of its sages, yogis, and philosophers. Due to the disappearance of traditional patronage, the pressure of globalization, and the ravages of a harsh climate on fragile palm-leaf and delicate paper manuscripts, much of this knowledge and the traditions that hold it have not only fallen into obscurity but are in danger of being lost to the world forever.
The work of the Muktabodha Institute is built on the recognition of the vital importance of preserving this knowledge not only as a resource for scholars and students worldwide, but ultimately as a resource for humanity. Yet we are in a race with time. Therefore Muktabodha is actively employing both traditional methods and the innovate use of technology to preserve the genius of India’s heritage. The name “Muktabodha” means “the wisdom of the liberated one” and refers to an experiential state of supreme freedom that sages have described in detail in the Indian scriptures. This freedom is as fundamentally important and relevant to contemporary society as it was in ancient times. _HISTORY The Muktabodha Institute was founded in 1997 at the request of Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, the spiritual leader of the Siddha Yoga Mission. It is an expression of her gratitude for the wisdom revealed in the Indian scriptures, for the sages who articulated this knowledge, and of her commitment to preserve this wisdom for future generations. With the support of the SYDA Foundation in the United States and the Gurudev Siddha Peeth Trust in India, Muktabodha Indological Research Institute was launched as a non-profit educational organization in the United States and an independent educational trust in India. _{PROGRAM AREAS} Muktabodha’s focus is on preserving the scriptural texts related to the Tantric and Agamic traditions, and in India’s oral tradition of Vedic chanting and the ritual and philosophical knowledge associated with it. We are committed to a holistic approach that recognizes the importance of both the oral and textual expressions of these traditions. To ensure that these traditions remain accessible resources to humanity and can be studied worldwide, Muktabodha has developed the following programs:
Digital Library: to preserve rare Sanskrit manuscripts and texts in multiple digital formats, and make them accessible for study worldwide through our website. The aim is to secure for future generations first the core texts of Kashmir Shaivism, and then in ever widening circles to secure those texts that form the streams or environment from which Kashmir Shaivism grew and was synthesized. These include the Kaula-Trika, Saiva-Siddhanta, Pancaratra, and Natha Yoga schools.
Vedashala – School of Vedic Studies: to preserve the traditional, oral education in Vedic recitation and ritual according to the Hiranyakeshi branch of the Taittiriya Krishna Yajur Veda. This tradition from the coastal regions of Maharashtra has been identified as one of the eleven most endangered of the surviving sub-branches of the Veda. It includes the Govardhani style of Ranayaniya Sama Veda recitation.
Publications: to publish excellent translations and commentaries on rare texts by leading contemporary scholars and panditas of these traditions.
Audio & Video Documentation: to record authentic performances of sacred chants and rituals of and related to the Hiranyakeshi tradition of the Taittiriya Krishna Yajur Veda, as resources for current and future students and researchers.
Fellowships & Scholarships: to enable outstanding Indian and Western students to receive training and research opportunities in this field in order to become the next generation of illumined scholars.
_{US BOARD OF DIRECTORS} William K. Mahony, Ph.D. – President & Head of the Academic Council Professor and Chair of Religion Davidson College, Davidson, NC Former Member of the Board of the American Academy of Religion David Katz, Ph.D. – Chairman Professor of Neurosciences Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland, OH Tarun Desai – Treasurer Managing Director & Owner Business Process Solutions, LLC Colorado Springs, CO Catherine Whitfield – Secretary Consultant in 18th Century Antiques & Meditation Teacher Los Angeles, CA ^{INDIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES}Mukesh Gupta – Chairman & President Chairman & Managing Director IB & W Communications Ltd Mumbai, MAH Ved Prakash Khurana Finance Director KSL Industries Ltd Mumbai, MAH Ratan Singh Verma Commercial Manager (retired) Indian Airlines New Delhi _{EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR} Hema Patankar Emeryville, CA Hema Patankar’s 22 years with the SYDA Foundation included 12 years in India leading extensive scriptural research, translation, documentation and editorial projects. She has played a key role in organizing numerous events featuring Vedic rituals and chanting. She has studied the songs of the poet-saints of Maharashtra and northern India with traditional musicians, and has liaised with scholars from around the world on translation projects and lecture series. In addition to active participation in executive management in India and the US, she has developed a facility with Hindi and Marathi, and a detailed, first-hand knowledge of India. She has witnessed the breakdown of the flow of wisdom from traditional pandits and masters to new generations, and has great passion for India's sacred heritage.
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