Youth Crew

I am writing this report upon the request of HG Sevaswarupa prabhu, who asked me to briefly describe the activities and what goes into managing the
program in Manipal.

Bhaktivedanta youth services (BYS) was started in Manipal in the year 1994
by the disciples of HH Bhakti Raghava Maharaja. Since then the program has
been carried out by the mercy of exalted devotees and of course the causeless blessings of Udupi Krishna.

Initially it was started in a rented house where students would stay and
practise Krishna consciousness under the guidance of some senior devotees.
But those house programs had to be closed for reasons unknown to me. Then we had Bhagavad gita discourses and Kirtan on Sundays at Sri Venugopal Temple, which belongs to the Manipal University. This went on for approximately 6-7 years continuously until Krishna changed His mind. Someone complained about us, saying that we were brainwashing students and our program was stopped by the University’s’ authorities.
 

"Youth Crew" is the name we (tentatively) decided to call our Ministry's youth section, instead of "youth wing," "youth preaching department," or the like. It's a name Zak came up with, who as of a few days ago, is heading this CD Ministry effort.

Unlike me Zak is a young devotee who grew up in different parts of the world, most recently in Sridham Mayapur and London, UK. He studied at Sri Mayapur Gurukula and finished his secondary education at a college in London. Recently he returned from the UK to live in Mayapur again, accepting the service of coordinating our Ministry's youth preaching efforts.

"Youth Crew" being part of ISKCON's Congregational Development Ministry, we share the Ministry's mission & vision:

Vision: The Ministry actively collaborates with ISKCON affiliates worldwide to facilitate the spiritual growth of individuals and communities according to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. [click here to see the full mission statement.]