Malati Dasi

Who is Malati Dasi?

Malati Dasi is a senior spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Born in Vallejo, California, she was part of the hippie movement before becoming an initiated disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1967. In the same year she and her husband Shyamasundar Das helped Mukunda Das organize the Mantra-Rock Dance, a countercultural musical event held at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco; the dance was a fundraiser for ISKCON's first center on the west coast of the US.

In 1968, together with five other Hare Krishna followers, Malati flew to London to establish ISKCON's foothold in the United Kingdom. There, she helped introduce Beatles guitarist George Harrison to Gaudiya Vaishnava's philosophy and practice. In recognition of her pioneering role in ISKCON's UK missionary activities, Malati was invited as a special guest to attend the 30th anniversary of the Bhaktivedanta Manor, ISKCON's headquarters in England donated by Harrison to the organization in 1973.

In 1997, Malati helped organize ISKCON Women's Ministry, which paved the way for the provision of "equal facilities, full encouragement, and genuine care and protection for the women members of ISKCON." In 1998, despite fierce opposition, Malati became the first female member of the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON.