Van Govind
This interview is with Van Govind, a pharmacy school student in Houston, Texas who was born in the Texas Valley and later moved to San Antonio, TX with their family following the 2008 recession. They describe the events and institutions that shaped their perception of community and self. They explain how their family navigated culture and community growing up since neither of Van’s parents were born in India. Van discusses their connection to Hinduism and how developing an academic understanding of modern day India helped them navigate their queer identity.
Shuchita Chaitanya
This interview is with Brahmacharini Shuchita Chaitanya, a monk in training at the Chinmaya Mission of Austin. Shuchita tells the story of how her questions about happiness, balance, and goodness led her toward the path to monkhood. She describes the process of taking a Vedanta course through the Chinmaya Mission in India, and how she decided at the course’s end to take the yellow robes of a monk in training. Shuchita also talks about acclimating to her duties in Austin and getting to know her community before and during the pandemic.