UNDERSTANDING HINDUPHOBIA 2025 | HINDUPHOBIA THROUGH ERASURE
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2025 | 10 AM - 7 PM ET
The theme for Understanding Hinduphobia 2025 is Hinduphobia through Erasure. Presentations will focus on documenting Hinduphobia that manifests as erasure - in academia, curriculum, all types of media, and the public consciousness. As a community, Hindus struggle with articulating and gaining recognition for the erasure of our history, our civilizational contributions, and even our documented persecution - both historical and contemporary. The goal of UH 2025 is to wrestle with and offer insights into how we can effectively and rigorously measure, record, and articulate erasure.
How does the erasure of knowledge and struggle feed bias, hatred, and fear? How is this erasure justified? How do these erasures impact Hindus and the people around us?
As always, we have invited speakers from other communities to share insights, stories, and evidence that connect their communities with the conference theme.
UH 2025 WILL BE CO-HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, DALLAS CHAPTER OF HINDU YUVA.
conference agenda
SESSION I | 10 AM - 12 PM ET
OPENING INVOCATION | Dr. Vijay Satnarine, Hindu American Foundation
WELCOME: THE UNDERSTANDING HINDUPHOBIA INITIATIVE | Dr. Indu Viswanathan, Director and Co-Founder, Understanding Hinduphobia
WELCOME | Pranav Patel, President, Hindu YUVA UT Dallas
BIAS IN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA COVERAGE OF INAUGURATION OF AYODHYA’S NEW RAM MANDIR | Mat McDermott, Hindu American Foundation
CELEBRATING HINDUS OUT OF EXISTENCE | Dr. Smita Raj & Pushpita Prasad, CoHNA, Abhimanyu Gupta, CYAN (CoHNA Youth Action Network)
THE ONGOING ERASURE OF BANGLADESH’S HINDU GENOCIDE: THE ROLE OF AI IN HISTORICAL & CONTEMPORARY SILENCE | Mayuresh Mhaskar & Meenakshi Sundar Rajan, HinduYUVA
LUNCH BREAK | 12 PM - 1 PM ET
SESSION II | 1 PM - 3:30 PM ET
SACRED GEOGRAPHY: MYTHOS AND ERASURE | Aditi Banerjee
GENOCIDE THROUGH THE LENS OF NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS INSIDIOUS ERASURE | PhC Delores Mondragón, UC Santa Barbara
FROM SILENCING TO ERASURE: THE ALEVI STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL IN MUSLIM MAJORITY STATES | Dr. Dilsa Deniz
ERASURE OF THE JEWISH AND ISRAELI COMMUNITY | Jade Steinberg, Hillel UT Dallas & Josh Arbital, Stand With Us
A CRISIS OF IDENTITY AND AMERICAN ERASURE— tainos | Tanya Rodriguez, taino leadership summit
THE UNSEEN BIAS: HINDUPHOBIA AND ERASURE ON CAMPUS | Pranav Patel, President, HinduYUVA @ UT Dallas
CHAI BREAK | 3:30 PM - 4 PM ET
SESSION III | 4 PM - 6 PM ET
INSTRUCTING ANIMOSITY: HOW DEI PEDAGOGY PRODUCES THE HOSTILE ATTRIBUTION BIAS | Professor Lee Jussim, Social Perceptions Lab
LEGALIZING HINDUPHOBIA: ARE WE SOLVING A PROBLEM OR CREATING A NEW ONE WITH CASTE AS A NOVEL NON-DISCRIMINATION CATEGORY? | Ramya Ramakrishnan, Hindu American Foundation
ERASURE OF THE HINDU ROOTS OF YOGA IN PSYCHOLOGY | Snehapriya Rao, Program Manager, Understanding Hinduphobia
ERASED FRAMEWORKS: RESTORING DHARMA IN PSYCHOTHERAPY | Dr. Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria
NAVIGATING IDENTITY AND HINDUPHOBIA IN AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE | Bhavini Patel, interviewed by Dr. Indu Viswanathan
CONCLUDING REMARKS | Dr. Jaymin Kathiriya, National President, HinduYUVA
CLOSING REMARKS | Dr. Indu Viswanathan
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Mat McDermott
Mat McDermott is Senior Director of Communications for Hindu American Foundation, overseeing non-donor external communications, content production, and media relations. He is the producer of HAF’s two podcasts, That’s So Hindu, and the award-winning All About Hinduism.
Dr. Smita Raj
Dr. Smitha Raj is an economist, trained at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Currently, she works in the pharmaceutical industry while continuing to advocate for education and Hindu causes. She was previously involved in local efforts to support a clean environment.Four years ago, Dr Raj was elected to serve as a member of the school board in her town and continues to serve in the position. She is also a mother and a dog mother, living in New Jersey with her family.
Ms. Pushpita Prasad
Pushpita Prasad is a storyteller and communications professional with a background in working at the intersection of media, technology, culture and history. She researches, educates and publishes about India, Hinduism and representation in American and Indian media like ThePrint, Indian Express, AmericanKahani, Patheos, First Post and India Currents. Pushpita is on the Board of CoHNA-Coalition of Hindus of North America, and believes in the power of grassroots advocacy, activism and dialogue to drive change and understanding.
Abhimanyu Gupta
Abhimanyu Gupta is a Junior at a High School in Kansas. He is a classical dancer, activist, athlete and part of multiple different activities and clubs in his school. He is an active member of CYAN and is passionate about spreading awareness on Hinduphobia. In his spare time he works on projects to mobilize Hindu Youth Voices across the country.
Mayuresh Mhaskar
Mayuresh Mhaskar is an undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas and an officer for Hindu YUVA at UTD. Actively engaged in dharmic service, he serves as Teacher Assistant Coordinator for the Dharma Department at Vidya Vikas Sunday School, a volunteer-driven educational program under the D/FW Hindu Temple Society. A dedicated member of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh for 15 years, Mayuresh is committed to preserving and promoting Hindu values through leadership and community initiatives. In August 2022, under the divine guidance (sankalpa) of H.H. Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, he participated in a Guinness World Record for the longest and largest memorized chanting of the Bhagavad Gita, reflecting his devotion to Hindu knowledge and tradition.
Meenakshi Sundar Rajan
Meenakshi SundarRajan is an undergraduate student studying Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is interested in exploring dharmic approaches to the use of technology within an indigenous and decolonial framework, as she wants to uplift and support the growth of Hindu scholarship. She is also a practitioner of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation under the teachings of her Guru, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and is inspired by the transformative power of these practices in shaping pathways toward holistic healing and mental wellness
Aditi Banerjee
Aditi Banerjee is a novelist and attorney with a deep commitment to Hindu studies. She is the author of The Curse of Gandhari (2019), The Vow of Parvati (2022), and Hindu Love Stories: Dharmically Ever After. Her latest book, Kashi: The Valiant History of a Sacred Geography (2024), explores the historical and spiritual significance of Kashi. A practicing attorney at a Fortune 500 financial services company, she holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and an Executive MBA from Columbia University. She co-edited Invading the Sacred and has written extensively on Hinduism and the Hindu-American experience.
Delores Mondragón
Delores (Lola) Mondragón is a Chickasaw Chicana activist, scholar, and grandmother. She is the drum-keeper of Iposi (grandmother in Chickasaw) a women’s, veteran, and Two-Spirit medicine drum. Lola is a published author and community organizer that advocates for Native and Indigenous peoples. As a military woman veteran, she writes and brings visibility to causes in her community including contextualization of de/colonization and militarization, MMIWG2S, and continued forms of contemporary genocide. She enjoys participating and highlighting rematriation practices, resiliency and survivance in community, and supporting pride in identity re-remembering through ceremony.
Dilsa Deniz
Dilsa Deniz is a Kurdish socio-cultural anthropologist, her research focuses on gender, cultural, political, and religious symbols and practices in relation to Kurdish Alevis. She explores Alevi geography, myths of Alevism, and their presence in Kurdish communities, particularly in the city of Dersim. Her work also delves into eco-spirituality, examining the intersection of environmental consciousness and spiritual beliefs within Kurdish cultural traditions. Dr. Deniz holds a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology and has published several articles and book chapters, along with her monograph. Her recent research on the Kurdish Mother Goddess Shamaran has also been published.
Tanya Rodriguez
Tanya is an independent researcher, educator, and advocate of pre- and post-European contact in Puerto Rico. Her work in unmasking the taino community is globally renowned, supported by academics, historians, and identity seekers who fiercely go beyond the taino propaganda machine to learn the truth about our collective Boricua heritage.
Josh Arbitel
Josh Arbital received his Masters in International Studies, focusing on Culture, Power, and Social Movements from the University of San Francisco. His Master's thesis was an applied project that focused on using arts activism as a tool of healing and solidarity, specifically focused on the Israeli Palestinian Conflict. Josh received his B.S. in Forensic Science and B.A. In Sociology from the University of Central Oklahoma where he focused on becoming CPR-certified and FEMA Fire Emergency certified. During this time, he also ran a city wide clothing donation called the Community Closet through the UCO Women's Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center. Josh dedicates his career to making Jewish people safe. In a world where antisemitism is rising, Josh believes that 'Existence is Resistance'.
Jade Steinberg
Jonathan "Jade" Steinberg is a student leader, activist, and advocate for Jewish life and Israel. A sophomore at the University of Texas at Dallas studying computer science and psychology, he serves as president of Hillel at UTD, a representative for the Jewish on Campus Student Union, and a member of the Texas Holocaust Genocide Antisemitism Advisory Committee's Project 1525 Steering Committee. Dedicated to strengthening Jewish community and resilience, Jade co-founded Comets for Israel, a club celebrating Israeli culture and spirit. His work focuses on combating antisemitism, fostering education, and building a stronger, more united campus environment.
Pranav Patel
Pranav Patel is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, pursuing a degree in finance. As the president of Hindu YUVA at UTD, he is passionate about advocating for Hindu issues and creating awareness about Hindu identity and culture. Actively involved in several initiatives, Pranav works to provide clarity on Hinduism to both Hindus and non-Hindus, highlighting its richness and addressing common misunderstandings. He has a deep interest in reading about religion, philosophy, and politics, constantly exploring how society can progress toward a dharmic-centric way of life. Through his work, he aims to inspire informed discussions and meaningful change.
Lee Jussim
Lee Jussim is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University, where he has chaired the Psychology Department, the Anthropology Department, and the Program in Criminal Justice.He has published over 140 articles and chapters and seven books. His scholarship addresses stereotypes, prejudice, expectancy effects and accuracy; how dysfunctional academic norms in everything from peer review to methods to political biases threaten the validity of much work produced by the social sciences; and, more recently, radicalization in academia and the wider society. His book, Social Perception and Social Reality, contested the psychological canon that social perception was mostly bias, and received the American Publishers Award for best book in Psychology in 2012. He is a founding member of the Academic Freedom Alliance and the Society for Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences, which aspires to be an antidote to the denunciatory, censorious turn in academia. He also writes essays on social science and academia at Unsafe Science, on Substack.
Ramya Ramakrishnan
Ramya Ramakrishnan is the National Director of Community Outreach at the Hindu American Foundation. She also serves as HAF’s law enforcement liaison who has been a strong advocate for the Hindu community in the diaspora and has organized conferences and events to educate lawmakers and other leaders on important issues. Ramya has spearheaded multiple initiatives at HAF including a mental health PSA that is a collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services on Suicide awareness. She has been leading community focused projects and outreach including policy and education initiatives across the country. She partners closely with leaders from organizations including interfaith groups to spearhead events. Ramya has moderated panels on issues like immigration and anti-Hindu hate and played a key role in coordinating summits focused on challenges faced by the Asian American community. She is also a well recognized leader in her community who chairs the school site council at her local high school and advocates for students and quality of education. She loves to go on solo trips and explore new places, is a singer, speaker and blogger who writes on topics she is passionate about. Ramya has a Masters in Communications from Ohio University, Athens, OH and a Bachelors in Visual Communications from Loyola College, India.
Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria
Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria, Psy.D., is the founder of KPS Psychotherapy, a private practice focused on providing psychotherapeutic services to the South Asian community. Dr. Sekhsaria’s doctoral dissertation, Hindu Indian American Conceptions of Mental Health focuses on unpacking how understanding a Hindu worldview of mental health can enable greater access to mental healthcare by the underserved Hindu American population. Dr. Sekhsaria is particularly dedicated to destigmatizing spiritual means for coping in the therapeutic space. She also serves on Hindu American Foundation’s Board of Directors supporting the organization’s education and advocacy mission.
Bhavini Patel
Bhavini Patel is a public servant and community leader dedicated to civic engagement and inclusive development. Raised in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, she co-founded Beamdata, a civic technology startup focused on enhancing government transparency. Bhavini holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in international relations from the University of Oxford. She has served on the Edgewood Borough Council and the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. Currently, as Executive Director of Sustainable Pittsburgh, she leads initiatives promoting equity, resilience, and prosperity in southwestern Pennsylvania.
