We are extremely pleased to announce an exciting milestone in the development of the Muktabodha Indological Research Institute - the inauguration of the Muktabodha Chair of Yoga Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, effective July 1, 2025. This groundbreaking academic partnership was made possible by a truly magnanimous gift from a longtime supporter of Muktabodha’s work. His generous donation is an expression of his belief in the critical importance of preserving traditional Indian knowledge systems for the benefit of all, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to him.
The Muktabodha Chair of Yoga Studies will be held by Dr Ben Williams, a distinguished member of Muktabodha’s Academic Advisory Council and an Associate Professor of Yoga Studies at Naropa. The funding will enable Dr. Williams to devote half of his time to Indological research projects with Muktabodha, for an initial period of at least three years, as Muktabodha’s first Research Scholar-in-Residence. In this capacity, Dr. Williams will play a major role in helping guide the development of Muktabodha’s Digital Library collections, including the identification, acquisition, transcription and study of a new corpus of rare and endangered Sanskrit texts. Dr. Williams is ideal for this position, as he is a highly accomplished scholar in the history and theology of the Śaiva and Śakta traditions that are central to Muktabodha’s digital manuscript collection. In addition to salary and research support for Dr. Williams, the donated funds will also provide small research grants for qualified students to assist Dr. Williams on Muktabodha projects.
The Muktabodha Chair/Scholar-in-Residence position will deepen and expand Muktabodha’s ability to preserve, and make available to the world, the priceless knowledge embodied in the traditional Sanskrit literature of India. Dr. Williams, along with the entire Muktabodha Team, look forward to bringing you news and updates on the exciting projects ahead.