Bhakti Charu Swami (1945–2020) was an Indian spiritual leader associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organisation founded in 1966 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He served as a sannyasi and as a member of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC), the institution's senior administrative body.
| Name | Bhakti Charu Swami |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 |
| Died | 2020 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Tradition | Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
| Affiliation | International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) |
| Role | Sannyasi; spiritual leader |
Bhakti Charu Swami joined ISKCON during the 1970s, the period when the movement was rapidly expanding internationally under the guidance of its founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He took initiation into the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition and later accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa).
As a senior member of ISKCON, Bhakti Charu Swami undertook responsibilities related to preaching, temple development, and the translation and editing of devotional literature in the Bengali language. He travelled extensively in India and abroad, lecturing on the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other texts central to the Gaudiya Vaishnava canon.
He was particularly associated with ISKCON activities in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, where he was involved in the development of the local temple project.
Bhakti Charu Swami died in 2020. His passing was noted within the ISKCON community internationally.
Within ISKCON, Bhakti Charu Swami was regarded as a senior teacher and initiating guru, and his lectures and writings continue to be circulated by followers of the movement. His work in Bengali-language devotional publishing contributed to the dissemination of Gaudiya Vaishnava texts among Bengali-speaking audiences.