Pandit Deepak Raghunath Ji began working as the South Indian Pandit at the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies in 2017. Previously he served as a pandit both in India (Bangalore) and the US. Pandit Deepak Ji began working in temples when he was very young, has thorough knowledge of scriptures, speaks five languages (Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, and English), has experience leading many forms of pujas, teaching slokas, etc., and is deeply respected by devotees for his humble, kind, and thoughtful attitude. Devotees look to him to perform important rituals in their lives and feel comfortable having such a knowledgeable pandit to perform such rituals and to teach themselves and their children.

In addition to his qualifications as a pandit, Deepak Ji goes above and beyond by welcoming everyone to learn traditions and join pujas. Whether they are a steadfast devotee, someone who has questions about their faith and maybe has not visited a temple in a while, or someone new wishing to learn and follow dharma: he takes the time to listen without judgement and pushes you to trust in yourself and in God. He takes the time to answer questions and explain the meaning behind sacred rituals and expresses the importance of each.

Deepak Ji has helped many individuals like myself understand the basic values of sanatana dharma, understand the essence of powerful mantras in a simple way without compromising true pronunciation or meaning, and helped many patrons understand the value of Hindu traditions. His ability to connect with diverse populations from all over India and America will be helpful to showcase and uphold our culture. We need priests like Deepak Ji who can connect with younger population and re-instill bhakti and values of dharma . Not only that, but we as devotees love seeing the bright faces of his wife Tejaswini Ji and their daughter Shravya. Many of us feel that they are a part of our own family. After a brief hiatus in India, we wish for the Raghunaths to return to Colorado permanently to settle here at HTCC.

We ask the board to do what is right and reinstate Deepak Raghunath Ji as a pandit at HTCC. Him and his family are missed by many, and the temple would benefit greatly from their return.