Harvard Divinity's Rucha Modi Creates New Home for Hindu Student Experiences

Rucha Modi is pursuing her master of theological studies degree with an interest in religion and public service. Before joining the HDS community, Modi earned a degree in global studies at UCLA, served in the Office of Vice President Kamala Harris, and researched interfaith peace-building programs in India as a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar.

From a young age, Rucha Modi watched the intersection of religion and politics unfold in front of her. Growing up in Chino Hills, California, she witnessed her own multiethnic community push back against the construction of a local Hindu temple. Modi remembers the public resistance felt toward her faith tradition, which was deemed “other.” Those who opposed the sacred space wielded threats of Chino Hills becoming a “third world city” and “a haven for terrorists.” Yet, in the midst of vitriol, Modi also witnessed the power of people choosing to build paths toward mutual understanding.

After years of town hall meetings, local government votes, and personal outreach by the temple’s congregants, resistance subsided. Modi and her parents, who immigrated from India, participated in the apex of this movement to bring the Temple to life. It was during this time that she gained a spiritual understanding of seva (selfless service).

The Temple was ultimately approved by Chino Hills’ City Council in August 2011 with wide community support. Modi was moved by the community’s commitment to building their religious and cultural home and showing resilience in the face of adversity. Situated on a 20–acre site with a 91–foot lotus-shaped pond and a cultural center, the mandir still stands today and is open to people of all faiths.

This experience inspired Modi’s interest in public service and interfaith problem solving. A decade later, this inspiration led her to Harvard Divinity School—an experience she describes as, “a homecoming to a home I didn’t know was ever mine.” The warm environment at HDS encouraged Modi to connect with others interested in South Asian traditions. Initially hesitant about her ability to lead this effort, Modi—with the support of visiting Hindu monastics and her peers—co-founded HDS Ganga, a Hindu student group on campus. “The community at HDS has made me feel held, energized, and uplifted in ways I didn’t know was possible,” she says.

Modi expanded her connections to, and understanding of, multireligious community in her “Introduction to Christian Preaching” course with Professor Matthew Potts. “Not only did I feel welcomed as I learned about the Bible and Protestant Christianity, I was also empowered to explore my own voice and scriptures as a devout Hindu,” says Modi. She credits this class with teaching her how to identify shared paradigms and build soulful community across theological differences. In Modi’s words: “This is why I came to HDS—to cultivate my moral and spiritual compass as an aspiring civil servant.”

For more information about Rucha Modi and the HDS Ganga student group, visit hds.harvard.edu/2024DeansReport/HDSGanga.
 

—By Dionne Wareham, EDM ’24, Communications Specialist