Hindu American Foundation

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is a United States nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2003 by a group of physicians, lawyers, and other Hindu American professionals. It presents itself as a human-rights and public-policy organization dedicated to protecting Hindu Americans, promoting religious pluralism, educating policymakers, and addressing discrimination and persecution affecting Hindus in the United States and abroad. Its work has included legislative advocacy, reports on Hindu human rights, legal briefs, public education, school and media engagement, and campaigns concerning the cultural representation of yoga. The organization emerged from networks associated with the Hindu Students Council and Vishwa Hindu Parishad America. Its founders sought to establish a professional, full-time advocacy institution capable of representing Hindu American interests in Washington and in state-level policy debates. HAF describes its principles through Hindu and American concepts of tolerance, pluralism, and equal religious treatment. It has also worked with broader interfaith and civil-rights coalitions, including the Anti-Defamation League and groups concerned with hate-crime reporting. HAF’s early advocacy focused substantially on Hindu communities facing discrimination or violence in South Asia and elsewhere. During 2004 and 2005 it organized congressional education and subsequently developed recurring Hindu Human Rights reporting on conditions affecting Hindus in places including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malaysia, and Trinidad and Tobago. In the United States, it challenged government religious preferences, participated in litigation and amicus activity, advocated for the inclusion of anti-Hindu incidents in hate-crime monitoring, and helped support the 2016 Diwali commemorative postage stamp. The organization has also taken positions on India-related foreign-policy questions. It opposed congressional initiatives criticizing Narendra Modi over the 2002 Gujarat violence and resisted proposals that addressed Indian state anti-conversion laws and the treatment of religious minorities. HAF has argued that anti-conversion statutes protect vulnerable people from coercive or inducement-based proselytization, while critics contend that such laws have disproportionately been used against Christians and Muslims and that HAF applies its opposition to conversion selectively. HAF has promoted closer strategic ties among India, Israel, and the United States in the context of opposition to Islamist militancy. HAF’s public profile has generated sustained controversy. Scholars, journalists, and advocacy coalitions have characterized it as part of the American Hindu nationalist, or Hindutva, ecosystem and have argued that its language of Hindu rights can mainstream majoritarian political positions associated with India’s Hindu nationalist movement. HAF rejects such descriptions and has disputed accusations that it functions as a vehicle for Indian political interests. In litigation arising from criticism by the Coalition Against Genocide, a federal judge treated descriptions linking HAF to Hindutva as opinion and rhetorical commentary rather than verifiable factual claims. The organization remains active as a Hindu American policy and communications group. Its work spans religious freedom, anti-discrimination, education, cultural representation, international human-rights advocacy, and U.S.–India political issues. Its designation and description vary sharply by source: supporters emphasize minority-rights advocacy and institutional representation, while critics focus on its positions concerning Kashmir, conversion, Hindu nationalism, and criticism of India’s government.

The Hindu American Foundation was established in September 2003 by Mihir Meghani, Aseem Shukla, Suhag Shukla, Nikhil Joshi, and Adeeti Joshi. The founders came from professional fields including emergency medicine, urologic surgery, law, and speech therapy. HAF presented its mission in the language of human rights, religious liberty, tolerance, and pluralism, seeking to create a professionally staffed institution that could represent Hindu American concerns in public-policy debates. Its background lay partly in Hindu Students Council networks associated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad America. Meghani had founded a University of Michigan HSC chapter in 1991 and later served on VHPA’s governing council. This history became central to disputes over HAF’s ideological identity. The Coalition Against Genocide argued that the new organization helped recast Hindutva politics as a mainstream Hindu-rights agenda. HAF denied those allegations and accused its critics of holding extreme political positions. In later litigation, a federal judge concluded that characterizations of HAF as supportive of Hindutva were opinions and rhetorical hyperbole, not statements capable of being proven false in a defamation action. In its first years, HAF concentrated on building recognition among lawmakers and civil-rights organizations. In 2004 and 2005 it conducted educational events on alleged persecution of Hindus in South Asia and other regions. It later issued Hindu Human Rights reports addressing communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malaysia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The foundation argued that Hindu women in Pakistan and Bangladesh were especially vulnerable to abduction and forced conversion and advocated improved treatment and integration for Hindu migrants and refugees. HAF also pursued domestic legal and legislative advocacy. It participated in the Supreme Court litigation concerning the Ten Commandments display in Texas, arguing that the display conveyed a government preference for Judeo-Christian religion. In South Carolina it joined a coalition that challenged Christian-themed license plates. It worked on hate-crime policy, including proposed FBI reporting changes designed to identify anti-Hindu incidents more clearly. The organization’s public communications increasingly used the term Hinduphobia, although critics have disputed the scale and classification of incidents included under that label. India-related policy became another major area of activity. HAF opposed congressional resolutions criticizing Narendra Modi over the 2002 Gujarat violence and argued that congressional scrutiny focused unfairly on Hindu actors while overlooking violence and terrorism affecting India. It has defended Indian anti-conversion laws as safeguards against coercion and inducement, while critics say those laws have been disproportionately used against Christians and Muslims and that HAF does not apply the same standard to Hindu reconversion campaigns. HAF also advocated positions supportive of India’s approach to Kashmir and promoted closer India–Israel–United States security ties. In 2010, HAF launched Take Back Yoga, arguing that commercial and popular accounts of yoga often detached the practice from its Hindu philosophical origins. The campaign became a prominent example of HAF’s cultural advocacy. In 2016, HAF participated in efforts that helped lead to a U.S. Postal Service Diwali stamp. In 2022 it co-sponsored screenings of The Kashmir Files, a film critics characterized as anti-Muslim propaganda, reinforcing debate over the foundation’s relationship to Hindu nationalist narratives. HAF continues to describe itself as a Hindu American human-rights and advocacy institution. Critics, including scholars, journalists, and civil-rights coalitions, describe it as embedded in U.S. Hindu nationalist networks and accuse it of minimizing or deflecting criticism of India’s treatment of Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities. In 2024 the Congressional Research Service included HAF in a survey of Hindu nationalist groups in the United States. A 2025 complaint to the Justice Department alleged that HAF should have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act; HAF denied the allegations. These disputes remain part of the organization’s public identity alongside its continuing work on religious freedom, cultural representation, hate-crime policy, and Hindu American political participation.

• 2024

  Listed in Congressional Research Service survey

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The Congressional Research Service included HAF among Hindu nationalist groups operating in the United States.

• 2016

  Diwali commemorative stamp issued

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  HAF and partner organizations helped advocate for a United States Postal Service Diwali stamp.

• 2010

  Take Back Yoga launched

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  HAF launched a campaign emphasizing yoga’s Hindu philosophical origins and opposing what it regarded as cultural appropriation and excessive secularization.

• 2004

  Early congressional human-rights outreach

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  HAF began briefing legislators and organizing educational events on issues affecting Hindus in South Asia and elsewhere.

• 2003

  Hindu American Foundation established

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Mihir Meghani, Aseem Shukla, Suhag Shukla, Nikhil Joshi, and Adeeti Joshi founded HAF in September.

• 1991

  Hindu Students Council chapter founded at the University of Michigan

  [1]Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Mihir Meghani founded a University of Michigan chapter of the Hindu Students Council, a network associated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad America.

A professional Hindu American advocacy organization presenting itself as a civil-rights, religious-freedom, and human-rights institution, while attracting criticism for positions and networks associated with Hindu nationalism.

• Research and advocacy publications

  Hindu Human Rights reports

  Recurring publications and advocacy materials documenting alleged discrimination, persecution, forced conversion, and other rights concerns affecting Hindu communities in South Asia and other regions. They support HAF’s congressional outreach and public-policy campaigns.

• Cultural advocacy campaign · 2010

  Take Back Yoga

  A campaign launched in 2010 that argues yoga should be presented with greater acknowledgment of its Hindu history, philosophy, and textual traditions. It responds to commercial portrayals that HAF views as reducing yoga to physical exercise or separating it from Hindu identity.

• Public-policy advocacy · 2004

  Policy briefings and educational resources

  Briefings, reports, guides, and educational materials aimed at legislators, journalists, educators, and the general public. Topics have included religious freedom, hate crimes, Kashmir, anti-conversion laws, Hindu American concerns, and the international treatment of Hindus.

• 2025

  Foreign Agents Registration Act complaint

  A complaint to the Justice Department alleged that HAF acted as an unregistered foreign agent for India’s BJP and maintained a fiduciary relationship with the Indian Embassy. HAF denied the accusations and called the complaint politically motivated.

  Source

• 2019

  Criticism of Hinduphobia classifications

  Journalists and scholars criticized HAF’s public characterization of numerous incidents as anti-Hindu or Hinduphobic, arguing that some incidents were misclassified or that the organization overstated the prevalence of anti-Hindu hate crimes.

  Source

• 2013

  Dispute over Hindutva affiliations and defamation litigation

  The Coalition Against Genocide and other critics characterized HAF as part of a U.S. network advancing Hindutva and majoritarian politics. HAF disputed the claims and pursued litigation; a federal judge held that the challenged descriptions were opinions or rhetorical hyperbole rather than verifiable defamatory facts.

  Source

Read more

• 2022The Kashmir Files screening tour

  United States

  HAF co-sponsored a nationwide screening tour of The Kashmir Files, with board member Rajiv Pandit hosting a Dallas event with director Vivek Agnihotri.

  Outcome. The tour expanded the film’s U.S. Hindu advocacy audience but drew criticism from scholars and commentators who characterized the film as anti-Muslim propaganda.

  Source
• 2016Diwali postage stamp advocacy

  United States

  HAF worked with Indiaspora and other organizations to encourage recognition of Diwali by the United States Postal Service.

  Outcome. The Postal Service issued a commemorative Diwali stamp.

  Source
• 2010Take Back Yoga

  United States

  HAF argued that popular and commercial yoga culture frequently omitted or obscured the practice’s Hindu philosophical origins and called for more accurate cultural representation.

  Outcome. The campaign became one of HAF’s best-known cultural-advocacy initiatives and generated public debate over cultural appropriation, secularization, and ownership of religious traditions.

  Source

• 2019

  Publication of Kashmir reporter’s guideOther

  Background

  India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status and reorganized the territory’s legal and administrative position.

  Action taken

  HAF published a guide emphasizing claimed benefits for women’s property rights, queer people, and Dalits.

  Aftermath

  The publication reflected HAF’s supportive position on India’s Kashmir policy and became part of wider disputes over how the change should be reported.

  Source

• 2013

  Campaign against House Resolution 417Strategy

  Background

  The bipartisan resolution praised India’s diversity while urging action on violence against minorities, criticizing Modi’s Gujarat record, and repealing state anti-conversion laws.

  Action taken

  HAF lobbied congressional offices and challenged the resolution’s treatment of India and Hindu organizations.

  Aftermath

  The resolution stalled after the lobbying campaign and pressure on several lawmakers.

  Source

• 2005

  Opposition to congressional resolution on Gujarat violenceStrategy

  Background

  A proposed House resolution criticized Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat violence and addressed religious persecution in India.

  Action taken

  HAF opposed the resolution, describing it as selectively focused on Hindu actors and insufficiently attentive to violence and terrorism affecting India.

  Aftermath

  The State Department denied Modi a U.S. visa shortly after the congressional initiative was introduced.

  Source

1. 1Hindu American Foundationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hindu American Foundation official websitehafsite.org