Guru Vandana-Teachers Appreciation Day celebration in the village of Buffalo Grove

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS or HSS USA) is a 501(c)(3), voluntary, nonprofit, social, educational and cultural organization. HSS aims to coordinate the Hindu American community to practice, preserve, and advance ideals and values of Hindu Dharma.

HSS conducts regular values-based education programs for children, youth and adults through more than 230 chapters nationwide, eight chapters in the greater Chicago area including one in the village of Buffalo Grove. HSS also organizes service activities and community outreach projects and is proudly part of Buffalo Grove Champions.

Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated in the U.S., in the first week of May. To celebrate this, HSS has been honoring teachers in a Hindu/Dharmic tradition, calling it "Guru Vandana" for over 18 years across the USA. Guru, in Sanskrit, means teacher, spiritual master and mentor. Vandana means salutations. It is an expression of love, gratitude and reverence towards the teacher. Guru Vandana is an ancient tradition in India, which is still practiced today.

The ceremony includes honoring teachers in a traditional Hindu/Dharmic way. It is a great opportunity for teachers to experience Hindu culture through traditional dance and music, and recitation of Hindu scriptures which glorify Gurus, teachers. Teachers often find the experience exhilarating as well as emotional.

On May 7, HSS Buffalo Grove was joined by multiple Hindu community organizations honoring a total of 85 educators from 13 school districts, 24 schools including two school superintendents, five school principals, and two school board presidents with a total attendance of around 400.

In 2022 alone, across the country, Guru Vandana has been celebrated in 71 cities from 23 states with 3,233 teachers being honored from 62 school districts, and a total participation of 7,634.