Source: University of Florida News
http://news.ufl.edu/2006/11/21/center-brings-hindu-traditions-to-uf-classrooms/
At the University of Florida, the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions is working to change the way people view the third-largest religion in the world.
“People aren’t really clear about what the word Hindu means,” said Vasudha Narayanan, director of the center and distinguished professor of religion. “This is a global and multidisciplinary study of Hindu culture.”
Narayanan worked to establish the center in 2005 after speaking with scholars at Oxford University in England. She said the center hopes to serve two audiences: the larger student population in the university community and Hindu-American students who are eager to see their cultural traditions recognized in an educational setting.
“Hindu has a world influence, including here in America,” Narayanan said, adding that to broaden the understanding of Hindu culture, the center aims to look beyond India.