List of converts to Hinduism

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

Contents 1 From Abrahamic religions 1.1 Christianity 1.2 Islam 1.3 Judaism 2 From other dharmic religions 2.1 Buddhism 2.2 Jainism 3 Other 3.1 Animism 3.2 From non-religious backgrounds 3.3 Undetermined former religion 4 See also 5 References

[edit] From Abrahamic religions

[edit] Christianity

• Job Charnock - British trade agent who has been controversially described as the founder of Calcutta^[1]
• Alice Coltrane (raised Baptist but became a follower of Satya Sai Baba)- American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer^[2][3]
• Bhagavan Das (born Kermit Michael Riggs) - Western Yogi and former born again Christian ^[4]
• Roy Eugene Davis - American Kriya Yoga teacher^[5]
• Krishna Dharma - British author and convert to Gaudiya Vaishnavism under ISKCON^[6]
• David Frawley - author on Hinduism, Yoga and Ayurveda^[7]
• Heather Graham - American Actress, former Catholic, and practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi).^[8][9]
• George Harrison - popular English musician, best known as a member of The Beatles who passed away chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in the company of monks from ISKCON. He is also known for donating Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Hindu temple to the Hare Krishna community in Britain
• Christopher Isherwood - Anglo-American novelist^[10]
• Jomol - Malayali actress ^[11]
• Timothy Leary - Harvard professor and American writer and psychologist^[12]
• Swami Kriyananda (born J. Donald Walters) - direct disciple of the yogi Paramahansa Yogananda
• Savitri Devi Mukherji (born Maximiani Portas) - French woman who became enamoured with Hinduism and Nazism, trying to synthesise Hinduism with Nazi philosophy and racial ideology
• Sister Nivedita (born Margaret Elizabeth Noble) - Anglo-Irish social worker, author, and teacher^[13]
• Swami Sivananda Radha - Canadian author on Hinduism and Hindu writer^[14]
• Leelawathy Ramanathan - Australia-born Hindu writer and activist. Converted upon marrying Ponnambalam Ramanathan^[15]
• Han Snel - Dutch painter of Bali^[16]

• Bhakti Tirtha Swami (born John E. Favors) - American Hindu leader and disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada^[17]
• Kenneth R. Valpey - Gaudiya Vaishnava Theologian who studied at Oxford University, St. Cross College^[18]

[edit] Islam

• Bukka I - King of Vijayanagara empire who converted to Islam, then reconverted. The early life of Bukka as well as his brother Hakka (also known as Harihara I) are relatively unknown and most accounts of their early life are based on theories.^[20][21]
• Haridas Thakura - Prominent Vaishnavite saint, instrumental in the early appearance and spread of Hare Krishna movement. ^[22]
• Harihara I - King of Vijayanagara empire who converted to Islam, then reconverted^[21]
• Annapurna Devi - surbahar (bass sitar) player and music teacher in the North Indian classical tradition^[23]
• Asha Gawli - (born Aisha) Wife of Arun Gawli, notorious gangster turned politician from Mumbai, India.^[24]
• Aashish Khan (born Ustad Aashish Khan Debsharma) - Indian musician^[25]
• Hassan Palakkode - Malayali writer on Islam^[26]
• Mirza Salih - Prominent Mughal official and member of the Darbar of emperor Akbar^[27]
• Ifa Sudewi - Chief judge for the 2002 Bali bombing trials^[28][29]
• Sarmad - - 17th century mystical poet and sufi saint, arrived from Persia to India, beheaded for assumed heresy by the Mughal emperor, Aurungzebe. Sarmad renounced Judaism, briefly converting to Islam and then Hinduism. He later denounced all religions and rejected belief in god.^[30][31]
• Anwar Shaikh - British author. ^[32]
• Harilal Mohandas Gandhi - son of Mahatma Gandhi. Upon converting to Islam he adopted the name Abdullah Gandhi, but later again reverted back to Hinduism.^[19]
• Mohammad Umer - Bhopal man whose marriage was upheld by an Indian High Court^[33]

[edit] Judaism

• Krishna Das (born Jeffrey Kagel) - singer who performs Indian chants called kirtans
• Hridayananda Goswami (born Howard J. Resnick) - American spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness^[34]
• Tamal Krishna Goswami (born Thomas G. Herzig) - governing body commissioner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
• Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert)- syncretist, and follower of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Professor of psychology at Harvard University^[35]
• J. D. Salinger - American author best known for The Catcher in the Rye^[36]

[edit] From other dharmic religions

[edit] Buddhism

• Rajasinghe I - Sri Lankan king who conquered Kandy^[37]
• Mihirakula a Huna ruler^[38].
• Vasudeva I, Kushan king and numismatist^[39]

[edit] Jainism

• Vishnuvardhana - King of Hoysala empire and prominent temple-builder^[40]

[edit] Other

[edit] Animism

• Charairongba, Manipuri ruler.
• Pamheiba, Manipuri King^[41]
• Suhungmung - Ahom kingdom ruler who extended Assam up to the Kamarupa Kingdom^[42]
• Supangmung - Ahom kingdom ruler who recaptured Guwahati. Converted to Vaishnavism after a killing to make amends^[43]
• Susenghphaa - Ahom king, during his rule the Ahom-Mughal conflicts began^[44]

[edit] From non-religious backgrounds

• Annie Besant (former atheist) - Theosophist, orator and feminist^[45]
• John Dobson (former atheist who became a believer in Vedanta)- astronomer and telescope designer^[46][47]
• Sita Ram Goel (former atheist) - Indian commentator, writer and Hindu activist^[48]

[edit] 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^[49]
• Alain Daniélou (convert to Shaivism) - French historian, intellectual, musicologist, and Indologist^[50]
• Ambarish Das (born Alfred Ford) - American businessman, great-grandson of Henry Ford, and a follower of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (the founder of ISKCON)^[51][52]
• Urmila Devi Dasi (born Edith E. Best)- senior female ISKCON leader and educator^[53][54]
• Nina Hagen (follower of Haidakhan Babaji) - German singer^[55]
• Aldous Huxley (disciple of Swami Prabhavananda) - English writer who emigrated to the United States, author of Brave New World^[56]
• Joe Don Looney (follower of Swami Muktananda)- football player^[57]
• John McLaughlin (became a disciple of Sri Chinmoy) - jazz fusion guitar player^[58]
• Shaunaka Rishi Dasa (Irish convert and member of ISKCON)- founder of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies^[59][60]
• Lex Hixon (syncretist and disciple of Swami Nikhilananda) - poet, philosopher, spiritual practitioner and teacher^[61]
• Mathias Rust - German daredevil pilot^[62]
• Kelli Williams - American actress who played Lindsay Dole Donnell on the ABC legal drama The Practice.^[63]
• Ricky Williams - Miami Dolphins football player^[64].
• Crispian Mills english rock singer named Krishna Kantha dasa. He wrote a foreword to a book by Bhaktivinoda Thakur titled Sri Siksastaka.^[65]

[edit] See also

• List of people by belief
• List of converts to Christianity
• List of converts to Islam
• List of converts to Buddhism
• List of converts to Judaism
• List of converts to Sikhism

[edit] References