His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada legally constituted the society of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in 1966 in New York. He is the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON. ISKCON is an organization of the Vedic tradition established in the West to perpetuate the ancient wisdom of the Vedas.
Srila Prabhupada personally travelled around the world 12 times to develop this fledgling society into a truly international society, which currently has more than 800 temples, farm communities, asramas, schools and institutes. He established the Governing Body Commission (GBC) to oversee both the administrative and the spiritual needs of the society. His position as the founder cannot be replaced by anyone but he wisely gave the society a collective management structure so that it would survive his passing.
The headquarters of ISKCON is located in Mayapur, in the state of West Bengal, India. This place is of special significance because it is the birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, religious reformer and divine incarnate, by whose instructions and personal examples the glories of the holy names of Krishna are spreading. ISKCON temples are found in almost every major city on every continent and the members are from all races and backgrounds, making it truly an International society.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of Lord Krishna around the world. Born on September 1, 1896, in Kolkata, India, he was a visionary leader who translated over 60 volumes of classic Vedic scriptures into English, including the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Srila Prabhupada's teachings emphasize the importance of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service to Lord Krishna, as the highest path to spiritual enlightenment. His mission was to create a global community of devotees who live by the principles of compassion, humility, and devotion. Today, his teachings continue to inspire millions of people worldwide.