| Bhaktivedanta Sadhu Swami is a well-known ISKCON preacher from Moscow. He took sanyasa initiation in 2011, which happens to be the 40th anniversary of ISKCON in Russia. He (nee Enver Izmailov) was born in Grozny (Chechnya), July 1, 1967 into the family of Soviet intelligentsia. Later the family moved to Makhachkala. His father, Khadzhimurat Izmailov - PhD, taught in Dagestan University until his retirement. His mother was a biochemist. He graduated from high school in Grozny. He was very fond of physics and hoped to bind himself with this science. After high school he entered the Moscow Physical-Technical Institute, but failed because of ill health, and later enrolled at the Novosibirsk State University. Having finished high school, Enver taught for some time in a school because he already had developed its own pilot program in physics. In 1991, his life changed dramatically. He met some Vaishnavas and was attracted by the knowledge of Krishna, and so devoted himself not to secular but to the spiritual sciences. He had never been interested in religion before, probably because of the common atheistic spirit, which prevailed in Soviet times. Although, despite the secularism, the Islamic world view was quite common among his relatives. His parents, however, were atheists, but, according to Enver, very pious and honest. He is known for his sturdiness and straightforwardness in matters of Krishna consciousness |
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