13 Facts About Malati Dasi

Malati Dasi was born on Melanie Lee Nagel on August 30,1945 and is a senior spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

In 1968, together with five other Hare Krishna followers, Malati flew to London to establish ISKCON's foothold in the United Kingdom.

In recognition of her pioneering role in ISKCON's UK missionary activities, Malati Dasi was invited as a special guest to attend the 30th anniversary of the Bhaktivedanta Manor, ISKCON's headquarters in England, donated by Harrison to the organization in 1973.

Malati Dasi dropped out before graduating and joined the counterculture movement of the 1960s.

Malati Dasi became more active in the new temple activities, primarily in shopping, collecting donations of bulk produce, and cooking for what came to be wildly popular with the local hippie community as the "love feasts", or free distribution of prasad, opulent vegetarian food sanctified by being offered to Krishna.

Malati Dasi is credited for her role in introducing the worship of Jagannath, a form of Krishna, in ISKCON.

One day Malati Dasi hurried into Prabhupada's apartment, took a small item out of her shopping bag, and placed it on Prabhupada's desk for his inspection.

Excitedly, Malati Dasi confirmed that there were other, similar figures at Cost Plus, the import store where she had found the little Jagannatha, and Shrila Prabhupada said she should go back and buy them.

Malati Dasi told her husband, Shyamasundara, and together they hurried back and bought the two other dolls in the set.

Things changed for the group when Shyamasundara finally met and befriended George Harrison, whom Malati Dasi found "receptive and very spiritual" and helped introduce to the Hare Krishna philosophy and practice.

Malati Dasi participated in both recordings, singing and playing the hand cymbals.

Malati Dasi even recommended two women to be named founding members of ISKCON's highest international ecclesiastical and managerial body, the Governing Body Commission.

Malati Dasi became a vocal suffragette within ISKCON, which led to her "fiercely debated but historic appointment" to the GBC in 1998.