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Raj Bhakta offers $20M Vermont campus to Catholic mission
The initiative has drawn attention for offering a rare opportunity for faith-based groups to acquire substantial real estate.
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Rwittika Chakraborty
- Mon, 23, Feb 2026
- 01:14 EST
- 8
Indian-origin businessman Raj Peter Bhakta / Instagram/@rajpeterbhakta
Indian-origin businessman Raj Peter Bhakta is offering to donate an entire college campus, valued at about $20 million, free of cost to a Catholic mission-based organization willing to carry forward a faith-aligned mission.
Bhakta, an entrepreneur and founder of WhistlePig Whiskey and Bhakta Spirits, purchased the former Green Mountain College campus in Poultney, Vermont, at a 2020 auction for $4.5 million after the institution closed in 2019 due to financial challenges.
ALSO READ: Indian American entrepreneur donates $1mn to India's TTD
The 50-year-old recently announced that he intends to “return the site to its original Christian calling,” referring to the campus’ 19th-century Methodist roots, while expressing his wish to see it restored as a center for Catholic mission work.
Indian-American businessman, Raj Bhakta, purchases Green Mountain College in Vermont, USA after it shut down in 2019.
— Indo-Christian Culture (@indo_christian) February 21, 2026
He will donate it as a gift to any beneficiary must use the campus to promote the Catholic faith. pic.twitter.com/DtyvTsbuOD
While prioritizing gifting the property to a group committed to promoting Catholic education, spiritual formation or faith-based community service, Bhakta said interested organizations have been invited to submit proposals by the end of March, with a selection process planned through April.
The 115-acre property includes multiple academic and residential buildings, green space and community facilities.
Although he is offering the campus at no cost, Bhakta said potential recipients must demonstrate the financial capacity to sustain operations, with recommended annual budgets exceeding $1 million to maintain infrastructure and ongoing programs.
The initiative has drawn attention for presenting a rare opportunity for faith-based groups to acquire substantial real estate suited for education, retreats, cultural activities or spiritual outreach.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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