The Governing Body Commission is the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. ISKCON's founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, created the GBC in 1970 and since then it has met on an annual basis, usually in Mayapur, India. The GBC is organised largely through a "zonal" system, with regional representatives attending to local matters, and the entire GBC ruling on issues that affect ISKCON as a whole. At the GBC's first annual meeting in Mayapur, Prabhupada guided the proceedings, "showing how the GBC should strictly follow parliamentary procedure". Zones of the world are assigned one or more secretaries regardless of whether there is an ISKCON community currently in the zone. The GBC is entrusted with both spiritual and secular leadership of the ISKCON communities, as well as the power to appoint new gurus. According to a GBC confidence survey, "those holding critical views of the GBC were far less committed to ISKCON." In February 2009, Romapada Swami was elected GBC Chairman, succeeding Ramai Swami.
Original members
According to the letter of 28 July 1970 A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appointed the following members to the Governing Body Commission.
Shortly after establishing the GBC, Prabhupada asked his newly appointed leaders to renounce the everyday world and become sannyasis, indicating that those who set policy would not be involved with financial dealings. However, after Prabhupada's death some GBC members adopted lavish lifestyles. A number of schisms tested the notion of the supreme authority of the GBC. Some of these scandals involved GBC members Hans Kary and James Immel, as well as one of the leaders of the New Vrindaban community, Keith Ham, who surrounded himself with opulence and declared himself the only true successor to Prabhupada. In 1982 the GBC began the slow process of adding new gurus to the original eleven. In 1983 the GBC was announced to be the highest ecclesiastical authority of ISKCON. In 1985 the decision was made to lower the standard of living for ISKCON leadership. After much heated discussion, the GBC decided to "relieve" a number of leaders and new leaders were selected. The young leaders of the GBC sought the advice of one of Prabhupada's Gaudiya Math godbrothers, and endeavored to become more integrated in the broader Hindu community. After years of discussion and reforms, a general consensus emerged to accept women as leaders and initiators in ISKCON, overriding the former GBC supposition that "unprotected, 'women leaders become subject to various forms of mistreatment and abuse'". In 1998 Malati Devi Dasi became the first woman appointed to the GBC. The second woman leader, Dina Sharana, was selected in 2009. However, a similar proposal had been discussed years previously. Current or former GBC members include: Bhakti Caitanya Swami, Bhakti Caru Swami, Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami, Giriraja Swami, Gopala Krishna Goswami, Hansadutta Swami, Hridaya Caitanya Dasa, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, Jayatirtha Dasa, Jayapataka Swami, Kirtanananda Swami, Malati Dasi, Mukunda Goswami, Radhanath Swami, Ramesvara Swami, Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, Romapada Swami, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Sivarama Swami, Tamala Krishna Goswami, Devamrita Swami and others listed below:
Was born Philip Burbank in 1949, in Buffalo, New York. In January 1969, while studying at the University at Buffalo, he joined ISKCON and the same year was initiated by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, receiving the name Prahladananda Dasa. In 1975 he joined the Radha-Damodara preaching bus tour, organised by Tamala Krishna Goswami and Vishnujana Swami. In 1982 he took sannyasa and in 1986 he became one of the initiating gurus in ISKCON. In 1989 he became a member the Vaisnava Institute for Higher Education, in Vrndavana. In 1990 he was appointed to head the Governing Body Commission's committee of Health and Welfare. In 1991, the GBC also made him the head of sannyasa ministry.
Ramai Swami
Was chairman of the Governing Body Commission in 2008. Ramai Swami started the first Hare Krishna Food for Life program, at the ISKCON temple in Sydney, Australia. It was called ISKCON Food Relief and was operated through the back entrance of the Sydney Hare Krishna temple.
