Bhakti Tirtha Swami

Bhakti Tirtha Swami
Religion	Hinduism
Other names	John E. Favors, Toshombe Abdul, Swami Krishnapada, Ghanasyama Dasa (pre-sannyasa)
Personal
Born	February 25, 1950
Died	June 27, 2005
Religious career
Predecessor	A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Post	ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi
Website	Official Site

John E. Favors, Toshombe Abdul, Swami Krishnapada,

Bhakti Tirtha Swami (February 25, 1950 – June 27, 2005) (previously known as John Favors and Toshombe Abdul), also known as Swami Krishnapada, was a guru and governing body commissioner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as the Hare Krishnas or ISKCON). He was the highest-ranking African American in ISKCON. Bhakti Tirtha Swami met with figures such as Nelson Mandela and Zambia's president Kenneth Kaunda, was frequently interviewed in the media, wrote 17 books on religious topics and led community development projects in the United States and other countries. He was the founder and director of the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology in Washington, DC, "a nonprofit, nondenominational organization whose membership represents a variety of spiritual paths and professional backgrounds". He traveled frequently and served as a spiritual consultant. He also served as chairman of the Third World Coalition. On February 7, 2006 the Council of the District of Columbia recognized him for dedication to social change for residents in the District of Columbia.

Bhakti Tirtha Swami was born John Edwin Favors on February 25, 1950 into a Christian family living in Cleveland, Ohio, US. His parents instilled in him the values of self-confidence, religiosity and a spirit of generosity demonstrated by giving to persons less fortunate than others. As a child, John Favors appeared on television to preach Christianity. He excelled in his academic achievements while attending East Technical High School in Cleveland and received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Hawken School, where he spent an additional year of college preparation in philosophy and political science. While at Hawken, he was a member of the football and wrestling teams.

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