Acharya Ji Pandit Krishna Kumar Pandey.

Pandit Krishna Kumar Pandey, a religious leader and founder of Shiv Durga Temple in Sunnyvale, Calif., was recently honored at an event in Lucknow, India. – @Siliconeer #Siliconeer #ShivDurgaTemple #AcharyaJiPanditKKPandey

Pandit Krishna Kumar Pandey received the award by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at the Bhartiya Pravasi Divas, Jan. 4. He was among the 16 NRIs from various counties of Uttar Pradesh who were awarded for their community service and glorifying Uttar Pradesh in the United States.

Pandey, originally from Uttar Pradesh, and after 18 years great service as Dharma Guru in Indian Army, came to the U.S. in 2003. Since then he has served the community by organizing social, religious and spiritual events.

Acharya Ji Pandit Krishna Kumar Pandey (3rd from l) being honored by U.P. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav (4th from l), Jan. 6, in Lucknow, India.

Pandey was also awarded the ‘Hind Ratan’ award and ‘Mahatma Gandhi Samman’ by NRI Welfare Society of India in January 2015, in Delhi and Jaipur. The Indian community respects him for his contribution to society and community services.

He also has the distinction of reciting for the first time, a Hindu prayer at an American Assembly in Iowa. He was one of the speakers for World Religion Day in California, in 2015.

“Acharya Ji,” as he fondly known here in Silicon Valley, was invited as honored guest at World Alliance of Religious Peace Summit in Seoul, South Korea, in 2014, to represent Hinduism from U.S. Religious and social leaders from around 150 countries assembled in the presence of around 200,000 people from various countries for the event.

Acharya Ji can be reached at (408) 480-5477 or by Email at krishnakump@gmail.com.