About Us
What is Pushtimarg?
Pushtimarg, the sacred “Path of Grace”, is a Vaishnava Hindu tradition founded by Shri Vallabhacharya, also known as Shri Mahaprabhuji. At its heart lies loving devotion to Shri Krishna and teaches that true spiritual fulfilment comes through His grace. This devotion is expressed through seva - joyful, personal worship and service to Shri Krishna. Through seva, everyday life itself becomes worship, and each act becomes an offering of love.
Why have I set up this charity?
With Shri Mahaprabhuji’s and Shree Yamunaji’s grace, I have been able to go to Gokul on a regular basis. Over the years, I have seen how tough life has become for the people, and even more so for the cows, that live there. Last year when I was there, I saw cows roaming the streets, eating out of rubbish bins, and drinking water from the gutters. Sadly, there are a lot of stray cows in Gokul, and it brought tears to my eyes, to see what life has become for these precious gentle beings. Whilst I was there, I bought grass each day and fed it to the cows. I also went to see the Panchayat Gaushala, which is a compound for stray cows. Whilst the Panchayat has set this up and they pay for the staff who work there, they struggle to find enough money to feed the cows. I also saw at first hand the urgent need for some repairs and maintenance in Shri Mahaprabhuji’s bethaks in Gokul. Finally, I became aware of the need to teach Sanskrit and the need to support Niskanchan Vaishnav families get their children educated, so it can lift the whole family out of lifelong poverty.
When I returned to UK, I was determined to try and help in a small way. I knew that whilst I could make a small difference, but if we got more people involved in this work, we could make a bigger difference - TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER. This is why I wanted to set up a charity and with the grace of Shri Mahaprabhuji and Shree Yamunaji, we have now done this.
Are you a registered charity?
Yes. Pushtimarg Seva UK is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Charity Registration Number: 1217380
Full details, including our governing document, can be found on the Charity Commission website.
Who are the Trustees?
At present we have 3 Trustees. Pradip Patel (Chair); Divaykant Patel (Treasurer) and Dr Bhavisha Patel (Secretary).
Pradip Patel is an accomplished board-level leader, with a career spanning senior roles in healthcare and retail. Pradip served as Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director on the board of Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and then as Chairman on the board of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. In recognition of his service to the NHS and healthcare, Pradip was awarded an M.B.E. in June 2024.
Pradip is honoured to serve as Chair of Trustees, guiding the charity’s mission to make a real difference in its three causes.
Divaykant Patel brings thirty plus years of compassionate leadership in business and community service, including two decades as a local area chairman. His proven expertise spans stakeholder engagement, financial management, relationships building, transparency, and driving positive impact. As Treasurer, Divaykant is dedicated to ensuring the charity operates efficiently, always putting the needs of the charity first. His caring approach and genuine dedication will make him an asset for the charity.
Dr. Bhavisha Patel is a qualified veterinarian and Veterinary Adviser within the UK Government, specialising in international trade and animal health. She brings strong expertise in ruminant health control, particularly cattle, alongside experience in international collaboration with global partners.
With additional qualifications in auditing and she is currently undertaking a master’s degree in Systems Thinking, Bhavisha contributes a thoughtful, analytical approach to governance. As Secretary of the Charity, she is committed to supporting strong oversight and helping the organisation deliver lasting impact across its causes.