In 1972, at age 18, after receiving a Sri Isopanisad from a Harinam

party he met while at work downtown, Kalakantha Das joined the

small ISKCON Portland temple. In 1973, Srila Prabhupada accepted

him as a first- and second-initiated disciple.

Over his ten-year brahmacari career he distributed books on the BBT Library Party, served as the Bhakta leader in ISKCON Los Angeles, and opened a college preaching center in Newark, Delaware. Subsequently, Kalakantha Das helped ISKCON North America shift to a congregationally based movement, both as a temple president and a consultant. He also served as an editor for Back to Godhead magazine and as secretary for ISKCON's Governing Body Commission.

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For the past twelve years he has developed the Krishna House project in Gainesville, Florida into a dynamic and successful college preaching center. In addition to numerous articles in Back to Godhead, Kalakantha Das has authored several popular books, including A God Who Dances and Bhagavad-gita: The Song Divine. He has also written ISKCON manuals on fund development and dispute resolution.

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Kalakantha Das has served as an elected Councilman in LaCrosse,

Florida and as a volunteer mediator in the Florida state court system. Since 1982 Kalakantha Das has been married to his Godsister Jitamitra Dasi. They have three children and two grandchildren. Since 1992 he has supported his family through a part-time real estate development business. He is a member of the Sadhu Sanga men's group, meeting weekly for twenty-five years. When not serving or working he enjoys writing, music, hiking and swimming.

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