Madras High Court upholds denial of foreign funding for Zen trust

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the Union government’s decision to deny Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration to the Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust. The trust, which operates a Montessori school and a Zen meditation centre in Kodaikanal, had its application rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs in late 2025.

In its ruling, the court observed that the trust failed to properly identify itself as a religious organisation in its application. The judges noted that Zen Buddhism is a variant of the Mahayana school of Buddhism and should have been classified accordingly. The Bench distinguished between educational or cultural institutions and religious organisations, noting that the latter must be transparent about their nature.

During the proceedings, the court made remarks regarding the nature of different faiths, stating that while Hinduism is inclusive, Abrahamic religions are ‘inherently exclusive’. The Bench further noted that while religious organisations are entitled to FCRA registration if they do not affect the nation’s secular fabric, those engaged in religious conversion should be denied such registration.