Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust

The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust, established in 1967 from the estate of Dr. Hari Prasad Shastri—a renowned Sanskrit scholar and teacher of Adhyatma Yoga—advances his vision of fostering a love of learning and universal welfare through spiritual and general education. Rooted in universal spiritual principles, self-knowledge, and character-building that synthesizes Eastern and Western philosophy, the Trust maintains unwavering fidelity to its founder's ethos via selective, values-driven grant-making, prioritizing projects that promote personal transformation, ethical development, and spiritual understanding in daily life.

It funds spiritual education broadly conceived, alongside general education initiatives that nurture intellect and independence, especially for young people and deprived communities. Supported activities include project funding, educational programmes, core costs for aligned charities, and occasional individual grants; recent beneficiaries like The Karuna Trust and Pipal Tree highlight empowerment of marginalized groups through spiritual, ethical, and social dimensions.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities (with preference for small to medium-sized ones based in England and Wales, though projects with international resonance may qualify if mission-aligned); no strict income thresholds apply, and unsolicited proposals from individuals are also considered. Applications via online form are accepted rolling basis, reviewed at periodic trustee meetings with decisions in a few months—no fixed deadlines.

Grants typically range £5,000–£36,300 (most £5,000–£20,000), excluding unrelated capital projects. Distinctive for its relational, non-transactional approach and high scrutiny for spiritual alignment, it stands apart by sustaining long-term work in self-knowledge over generic causes.