 Tamal Krishna Goswami began his association with the Krishna Consciousness movement in 1968 where he was soon accepted as a disciple by A C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. From 1975 until 1979, Tamal Krishna Goswami headed the “Radha-Damodara Party”, a fleet of buses carrying disciples of Swami Prabhupada, who traveled around America distributing his books.
Srila Prabhupada, created the GBC in 1972 and since that time it has met on an annual basis. Tamal Krishna Goswami was a member of this body since its beginnings. Tamal Krishna Goswami has served on ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission since its inception in 1970. In January 1972, he accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) from his spiritual master, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Jaipur, India. He served as ISKCON’s first GBC Secretary for India from 1970 – 1974 and was appointed trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, responsible for U.S. sales. In 1977, he served as Srila Prabhupada’s last personal secretary. Since that time, he has served as the GBC Secretary for Texas and a large number of countries in the Orient Tamal Krishna Goswami is the author of several books on various religious subjects, including two classical dramas. His publications include: Reason and Belief: Problem solving in the Philosophy of Religion (Pundits Press, 1997); Yoga for the 21st Century (1991); Prabhupada Antya-lila: The final Pastimes of Srila Prabhupada (Washington, D.C.: Institute for Vaishnava Studies, 1988); Jagannatha Priya Natakam: The Drama of Lord Jagannatha (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Bhaktivedanta Institute of Religion and Culture, 1985); and Servant of the Servant (Hong Kong: BBT, 1984). He was also doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, under Dr. Julius J Lipner. His thesis was on the theology of ISKCON’s founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At the time of his death, he had completed all but the conclusion. Dr. Lipner’s intention is to publish this dissertation in Tamala Krishna Goswami’s name. He also studied at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies According to the coroner’s report, Tamal Krishna Goswami passed away shortly prior to a vehicular accident in March 2002, at Phulgya within the Holy Dham, in West Bengal. He had been attending the Gaur Purnima festival/GBC meetings after not attending for a few years. His samadhi is placed beside Srila Prabhupada’s in ISKCON Sri Mayapur Dhama.
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