1896
Born in Calcutta
Abhay Charan De was raised in a Vaishnava family with devotion, worship, and Ratha Yatra woven into daily life.
Founder-Acharya of ISKCON
Srila Prabhupada
Meet the teacher, translator, and spiritual ambassador who carried the tradition of Krishna bhakti from India to a worldwide audience.
1965
The journey to New York
A life in service
Five moments that changed the course of a global spiritual movement.
1922
A defining instruction
He met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who asked him to bring the teachings of Krishna to the English-speaking world.
1965
The journey west
At 69, he crossed the Atlantic aboard the Jaladuta and arrived in New York with translated sacred texts and a clear mission.
1966
ISKCON is established
A small Lower East Side community became the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
1977
A worldwide legacy
By the close of his life, his teaching, books, students, and communities had carried bhakti across six continents.
A library for generations
His books remain the intellectual and spiritual backbone of ISKCON.
A life and legacy
A life shaped by instruction
Born Abhay Charan De in Calcutta in 1896, he met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in 1922 and received a defining request: share the teachings of Krishna in the English-speaking world.
From one storefront to a global movement
After arriving in New York in September 1965, he taught, translated, and gradually formed a community. In July 1966 he formally established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Books as the enduring foundation
His translations and commentaries—including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita—remain central to ISKCON’s teaching, study, and spiritual life.