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List of converts to Hinduism

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List of converts to Hinduism

The following is a list of converts to Hinduism from other religions or a non-religious background.

Contents

Judaism

  • Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert) – syncretist, and follower of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Professor of psychology at Harvard University
  • Urmila Devi Dasi (born Edith E. Manischewitz [married name: Best]) – female ISKCON educator
  • Radhanath Swami (born Richard Slavin) – Very prominent Bhakti yoga guru and a governing body commissioner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

    • Buddhism

  • Mihirakula – Huna ruler
  • Rajasinghe I – Sri Lankan king who conquered Kandy
  • Rishabhadatta – Satrap viceroy
  • Rudradaman I – Satrap ruler and conqueror of the Satavahanas
  • Vasudeva I – Kushan king and numismatist

    • Jainism

  • Mahendravarman I – Pallava King and patron of the arts.
  • Vishnuvardhana – King of Hoysala empire and prominent temple-builder
  • Tirunavukkarasar – Saivite saint and one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars

    • Other theistic faiths and religions

  • Mihirakula – Huna ruler
  • Heliodorus – Greek minister to King Bhagabhadra
  • Pamheiba – Manipuri King
  • Suhungmung – Ahom kingdom ruler who extended Assam up to the Kamarupa Kingdom
  • Supangmung – Ahom kingdom ruler who recaptured Guwahati. Converted to Vaishnavism after a killing to make amends
  • Susenghphaa – Ahom king, during his rule the Ahom-Mughal conflicts began

    • From non-theistic religious backgrounds

  • John Dobson (former atheist who became a believer in Vedanta) – astronomer and telescope designer
  • Sita Ram Goel (former atheist) – Indian commentator, writer and Hindu activist

    • Undetermined former religion

  • Agehananda Bharati (born Leopold Fischer) – academic Sanskritist, a prolific author about religious subjects, and a Hindu monk in the Dasanami Sannyasi order
  • Alain Daniélou (convert to Shaivism) – French historian, intellectual, musicologist, and Indologist
  • Crispian Mills of Kula Shaker is a Hare Krishna devotee. His initiated name is Krishna Kantha Dasa. He was initiated by Narayana Maharaja, the same guru as Chrissie Hynde. He wrote a foreword to a book by Bhaktivinoda Thakur titled Sri Siksastaka.
  • Geoffrey Giuliano – American biographer
  • Nina Hagen (follower of Haidakhan Babaji) – German singer
  • Joe Don Looney (follower of Swami Muktananda) – football player
  • J Mascis – lead vocalist, guitarist, and drummer for Dinosaur Jr.
  • John McLaughlin (became a disciple of Sri Chinmoy) – jazz fusion guitar player
  • Lex Hixon (syncretist and disciple of Swami Nikhilananda) – poet, philosopher, spiritual practitioner and teacher
  • Mathias Rust – German daredevil pilot
  • Kelli Williams – American actress who played Lindsay Dole Donnell on the ABC legal drama The Practice.

    • References

    List of converts to Hinduism Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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