Sri Swami Mayatitananda Sarasvati (Formerly, Maya Tiwari)

H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswati

Swamiji’s motto in life is, “In the Service of God and humanity.”
He left his home  for the Himalayan jungles and forests at the tender age of 8 years, under the guidance of his spiritual master, in order to live a life devoted to God and in the service of humanity. 
Today, he is world renowned as a spiritual leader, visionary and divine guide. Pujya Swamiji is President and Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, India of the largest spiritual institutions in India. He is also Founder/chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation (IHRF), an international, non-profit, humanitarian foundation.
Under Pujya Swamiji’s leadership, IHRF runs and sponsors free schools, women’s vocational training programs, a medical clinic, orphanages/gurukuls, frequent free medical health camps, “Clean, Green and Serene” programs, organic gardening programs, Cow-Care programs, an extensive rural development program, and innumerable other humanitarian projects including the first ever Encyclopedia of Hinduism as well as ashrams and medical clinics in the sacred land of Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash in Tibet. Pujya Swamiji’s religion is unity, and he has been a leader in numerous international, inter-faith summits and parliaments, including  most recently the Parliament of World Religions in 1999, the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations in 2000, the World Economic Forum in 2002, the World Council of Religious Leaders at the United Nations in Bangkok in 2002, the World Conference of Religions for Peace Japan  in 2006, the Global Youth Peace Summit at the United Nations in October 2006, the first Hindu-Jewish Summit in Jerusalem in February 2008 and the Hindu-Christian dialogue initiated by the Vatican in Mumbai in June 2009. He is also a leader of frequent world peace pilgrimages across the world.
Pujya Swamiji is the recipient of innumerable awards, including the Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian award, Hindu of the Year Award, Prominent Personality Award, by Lions’ Club, Best Citizens of India Award, the Uttaranchal Ratan (Jewel of Uttaranchal) Award and the Bharat Vikas Parishad 1st Utkrishtta Samman Award.
However, Pujya Swamiji seems unaffected by this incredible list of accomplishments and  remains a pious child of God, owning nothing, draped in saffron robes, living a life of true renunciation. His days in Rishikesh are spent offering service to those around him. Thousands travel from across the globe simply to sit in his presence, to receive his "darshan."  He travels the world, bringing the light of wisdom, inspiration, upliftment and the divine touch to thousands across the world.

Dr. Robert Svoboda

“Ayurveda is a science of reality as that reality is expressed in embodied life." Robert E. Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India.
During and after his formal Ayurvedic training Robert was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. After living in India for more than a decade, he has continued to spend much of each year there and in other lands.
The author of a dozen books, he serves as Adjunct Faculty for the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque and for Bastyr University in Seattle.

Dr. Hongasandra Rama Rao Nagendra

N. V. Raghuram

Shri. N.V. Raghuram worked as an Engineer before he decided
to devote more time in the service of Yoga and Indian philosophy. His interest in spiritual learning and in the philosophy of yoga and allied subjects started early in his life. For more than 2 decades,he is associated with Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Anusandhana Samsthan  (VKYOGAS)- now SVYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga University),  and is the International coordinator. He is the Chairman of Yoga Bharati Movement.
Shri. Raghuram conducted research projects in hospitals in the UK, Colarado, Germany, Turkey, and they have also been published in international medical journals.
He conducted more than one thousand yoga based stress management programs, two hundred yoga training programs, yoga therapy programs, meditation workshops and retreats all over the world. He also organized two global conferences in USA on yoga research and application. He received the title of “Yogashree” in the year 2007.
Shri. Raghuram has also gained acclaim in yoga based rehabilitation counseling for various spiritual, psychological and family problems especially in youth.
 

Dr. N Gopalakrishnan

Dr.N Gopalakrishnan is a scientist working for Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India. He is famous for his lectures aimed at rekindling the scientific heritage of India.
He along with a few other scholars, founded Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage (IISH) in 1999.
Dr. Gopalakrishnan holds a number of academic qualifications, which includes Masters in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Journalism, Industrial Sociology and D.Litt in Sanskrit. He has earned  accolades for studying Indian Scientific Heritage, for this is his area of passion. 
An avid learner and orator, Dr. Gopalakrishnan travels around the world spreading the message that there is a distinct link between Indian heritage and science and there are indisputable scientific explanations to what we practise as our heritage.

V. Vasudevan

Shri V. Vasudevan is a man of immense knowledge in various Vedic disciplines like Sanskrit Literature (Sahityam), Logic (Tarka), Philosophy (Vedanta), Ayurveda, Yoga and Martial Art of Kerala – Kalaripayatu.
The benevolent and paternal affection of his Guru, erstwhile Brahmasree Poomulli Neelakantan Nambudiripad of Kerala gave him the opportunity to learn with him over two decades and put him in the path of eternal knowledge and bliss. Shri.Vasudevan has a deep insight in all these wonderful sciences and has a very special gift in imparting his knowledge in an ideal way.
His main aim is to preserve Ayurveda, Yoga and all the other Indian sciences and philosophies in their true form. He was engaged in teaching for over 15 years in the Ayurveda College - Coimbatore, affiliated to Dr. M.G.R Medical University, Chennai - South India. Since 1990, he has been the Course Director for the courses in Ayurveda and Yoga for foreign nationals at Arsha Yoga Vidya Peetam Trust.
He has a remarkable experience of 25 years in teaching and practicing. He has visited European countries like France, England, Germany, Holland, Italy and Switzerland on many occasions for conducting camps and seminars on Ayurveda Yoga and Indian philosophy.
Sri. V. Vasudevan presently holds the position of the Trustee and Director of Arsha Yoga Vidya Peetam Trust in Coimbatore, that runs a Gurukula with a duration of eight years, to educate students in Indian knowledge systems, art form and culture in the traditional education model.

Dr. Claudia Welch

Claudia is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a practitioner of
Ayurvedic medicine. She is an author of Eastern medicine and philosophy. She serves on the teaching faculty of The Ayurvedic Institute and the Kripalu School of Ayurveda.
Dr. Welch regularly lectures on Oriental and Ayurvedic medicines internationally and brings a depth of knowledge and a sense of joy to her presentations.

Dr. K. P. Muraleedharan

Dr. K.P. Muraleedharan is a forward-thinking Ayurveda physician who graduated from the Ayurveda College, Kottakkal in 1977. He has grown to be recognized internationally as an Ayurveda scholar par excellence.
This erstwhile principal who served for 17 years at the Ayurveda College – Coimbatore, and later for 6 years at the Jayendra Saraswati Ayurveda College - Chennai, Dr. Muraleedharan’s insights into several aspects of Ayurveda are exceptional. During his career he has many articles published in various journals. He is an eminent speaker and has addressed many Ayurveda seminars.
During his career, he has held key positions in many Universities like Chairman - Board of Studies in Ayurveda in SCS Deemed University, President for the Faculty of Ayurveda Tamilnadu in Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. He was also Chairman for Board of Studies in Ayurveda -Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. He also served in different capacities in Tamilnadu Public Service Commission, N.T.R. University of Health Sciences - Andhra Pradesh, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences - Karnataka, Kannur University – Kerala, University of Calicut - Kerala, University of Kerala, Bharathiar University -Tamilnadu, T.N. Dr. M.G.R. Medical University -Chennai, SCS Deemed University -Tamilnadu.

Prof. Dr. P. H. Kulkarni
Prominent International speaker, author, teacher and physician.
Founder of the Institute of Ayurveda and Ayurveda Academy, Pune. His credentials are a mile long, his experience and knowledge goes way back to 1960.
He is a well known physician, research guide in Ayurveda and ex-Dean of the University of Pune, Director of the Institute of Indian Medicine/Ayurveda Academy, Pune, International Speaker and President of the following organizations:- The International Ayurveda Association, The European Academy of Ayurveda, Past President of Tilak Ayurveda College and The Ayurveda Rasashala and the Rashtriya Shikshan Mandal. He has worked relentlessly to ensure all Ayurveda Doctors and students under his umbrella have a very high standard and a thorough understanding of this profound science.
He has taught and guided many prominent Ayurveda Practitioners all over the world. Several schools in Ayurveda have been established and founded by him in various countries round the world. Professor helped establish the first school of Ayurveda in Adelaide way back in 1986.
He has written and edited many books now totaling over 130 and is the recipient of many International awards. He is the chief editor of Deerghayu International Ayurveda magazine, founded in 1984 by him.
Dr. Kulkarni has dedicated a lifetime to the principles and applications of Ayurveda Philosophy and with his knowledge, experience, compassion, spirituality and healing ability, is a Guru in his field. 

Dr. K. Sasidharan was born in June 1952 at a village near Kaladi the birth place of Adi Sankara, in a family with an illustrious tradition of Ayurveda in Kerala for about 5 ancestral generations of practicing Ayurvedic physicians.
After graduation and post graduation from Govt. Ayurveda College -Trivandrum, he started his career as Tutor in Govt Ayurveda college Trivandrum in 1977. He served in the posts of Lecturer, Reader, Professor, hospital medical superintendent and Vice Principal in the Ayurveda college Coimbatore for about 11 years and later joined as Reader in Ayurveda in the prestigious Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kaladi in Kerala .
During his career, he has held key positions in many universities like Bharathiar University, Sree Sankaracharya Uniiversity, Amritha Ayurveda Medical College and Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Ayurveda College, Dr MGR Medical University. He has presented scientific papers in various national and international seminars and has also published papers in approved journals.
He also served as the Medical superintendent and research director of the renowned Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam hospital and research center in Shoranur Kerala and later joined as Medical superintendent in the Kerala Ayurveda Hospital, Aluva, a concern of the Public limited company Kerala Ayurveda Ltd, Aluva, Kerala.
He has visited abroad for conducting series of lectures on Ayurveda under the invitation of various foreign organizations . He is the recipient of the BHISHAK RETNA AWARD 2006 and is the health panel executive, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Dr. Subhash Ranade
Dr. Subhash Ranade is one of the foremost experts on Ayurveda today, and he is a leading academician and physician. He has authored 132 books on Ayurveda and Yoga, and these books have been published in different languages. He has worked as Prof. and Head, Dept. of Interdisciplinary School of Ayurveda and Prof. and Head, Dept. of Ayurveda Pune University and Principal of Ashtang Ayurveda College, Pune, India.
He was also appointed as Visitors Nominee at Banaras Hindu University by President of India for 3 years. Professor Subhash Ranade has given many television interviews on Ayurveda, inside and outside India. He has also participated in many International and National seminars on Ayurveda and Yoga. He has penned many articles on Ayurveda and Yoga in various magazines and newspapers.
He is the consulting editor of various health magazines in India and Abroad like Light on Ayurveda Journal, USA and several others. He has contributed for the first CDROM on Ayurveda which was published by Saffronsoul.com by the name Dhanvantari. He is also author of several e books on Ayurveda (www.ayurveda-foryou.com). He has received International Dhanvantari award from AAPNA in Pennsylvania, USA, European Ayurveda Academy, Sydney, Australia and Life time achievement award also (www.ayurvedakarmayoga.com).
He has the honor of being visiting Professor to many Institutes in the United States like Kerala Ayurveda Academy Seattle, Foster city, Los Angeles; Wellness center in Baltimore, USA; SEVA academy Munich, Germany; SKA Ayurveda, Milan, Italy; School of Ayurvedic Culture, Barcelona, Spain; Body-Mind Health, Zurich, Swiss, Ultimate Health Center, Athens, Greece, Ayurvedic International Diffusing Association, Japan, Post Graduate Institute –Buenos Aires in Argentina, Yoga federation in Lisbon, Portugal and Israeli Center of Ayurveda, Broshim Campus, Tel Aviv and Shudha Dharma Mandal in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Since 1981, he has visited and conducted hundreds of Ayurveda courses for medical practitioners in Europe, Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Russia, China and Japan.

Swami Saradananda is an internationally-renowned yoga and meditation teacher. She has taught yoga for over thirty-five years and is the author of number of books, including “The Power of Breath”, “Chakra Meditation”, “Teach Yourself Yoga”, and “Yoga Mind and Body”.
Swami Saradananda worked with the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, for almost thirty years. She was one of their senior-most teachers and close disciple of Swami Vishnu-devananda. After an extended period of personal practice in the Himalayas, Swami Saradananda worked with the Peacemaker Community as ‘author in residence’ in U.S.A, then was the Spiritual Director of Haus Yoga Vidya in Germany.
Now based in London, she teaches advanced training courses and workshops worldwide, leads frequent pilgrimages to India and writes extensively.

Sama Fabian
Sama Fabian has been in Yoga practice for all her adult life and a teacher since 1985. She has been training teachers since 1999 with her comprehensive 500H programe: Aurolab Yoga Project, ‘a laboratory for experiential Yoga and conscious living’.
In 2005 she co-founded the Independent Yoga Network, an organisation concerned with the promotion of diversity and integrity in Yoga Teacher Training. She also holds a practice in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, using her understanding of the breath of life in the healing field.
Her trajectory has been essentially experiential starting early on with intense journeys into the wilderness over a period of eight years. These experiences moved her to define a psychology of the practice based on elemental configurations as expressed in asana, pranayama and quiet sitting.
Her Yoga is defined by an unwavering trust in the inherent wisdom of the body and a dedication to serve in the development of the human potential for higher levels of consciousness, creative collaboration, unity and the co-creation of a healthy and sustainable world.

Dr. P. Ram Manohar MD

Dr. P. Ram Manohar is an Ayurvedic Physician by training and
a post graduate in Ayurvedic Pharmacology. He is currently Director of Research, The Ayurvedic Trust, Coimbatore, India.
He was the PI on the Indian side of the first ever NIH funded research grant to scientifically study Ayurveda outside the United States. He has spearheaded the practice based evidence movement to generate epidemiology, safety and efficacy data from ongoing clinical practice in Ayurveda through the RUDRA Program, which is now being implemented in various National Institutes of Traditional Medicine in India under the aegis of the Dept. of AYUSH.
He is involved in important research projects on Ayurveda and has delivered lectures and published books and papers both in India and abroad. He has made research visits to United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Austria and Sri Lanka for the promotion of Ayurveda. He has published books and papers both in India and abroad.
He is Member of Central Council of Indian Medicine, Govt. of India, Research Advisor, Indian National Science Academy, Govt. of India Member, Program Advisory Committee, National Health Systems Resource Centre, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India and Member, Sub-Committee for Public Relations, Scientific Communication and IEC for International Cooperation, Dept. of AYUSH, Government of India.
He is Associate Editor of International Journal for Ayurveda Research published by Dept. of AYUSH, Govt of India and in the Editorial Board of the Indian Journal for History of Science published by the Indian National Science Academy. He is also the Editor of the Ancient Science of Life, a 28 year old research journal published by Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore.

Dr Syama Krishnan MD

Dr. Syamakrishnan completed his graduation in Ayurveda from
the Coimbatore Ayurveda College and then went on to take his masters degree in Kayachikitsa from Government Ayurveda College Thiruvananthapuram. He joined the Government Service as Medical Officer Ayurveda in Department of ISM in 1996.
He has had the good fortune to train under masters like Vaidyamadhom Cheriya Narayanan Nampoothiri and Poomulli Neelakantan Namboothirippad.
He has presented papers on various topics at several national seminars, continuing medical education programs and other information, education and communication activities organised by Government departments and NGOs.
He has authored a book "Snehaswedangal" and has also designed a project to provide cost effective and evidence based Ayurveda to 100 inter vertebral disc prolapse patients.

Dr. Prasad was born in a south Indian (Kerala) village. His father was a Sanskrit scholar from a long lineage. Traditionally his family duty is to look after the local Yajneshwaram temple, make garlands for the deities and help the priests with all their spiritual rituals.
Rama studied Ayurveda and Yoga for 8 years from the Coimbatore Ayurveda College, in a gurukula style. He did private internships with some of the leading Ayurvedic gurus in Kerala soon after. He learned Sanskrit from his father and various other teachers at school and university.
He also has studied hypnotherapy and mind-body counseling from Australia. For the past 20 years he is practicing Ayurveda internationally. He runs courses and consultations in most large cities in Australia. Rama uses Ayurvedic and Yogic wisdom that he gained from the university and his village in his clinic.
He has identified over 2,000 ayurvedic herbs that are native to Australia. His future plan includes training centers and holistic health villages internationally. His passionate classes are fun-filled, simple and clear. He believes 'the more you give, the more you learn'.  Rama still makes garlands for the temple deities during his yearly Kerala visits along with mother and sisters.

Dr. Narayanan Nambi belongs to the lineage of the Ashtavaidyas, the great octa-physician families of Kerala. He is recognized both in India and in Europe for his knowledge of Ayurveda and ethnic sciences.
At present he is the Director of Academic and Clinical Services Division of the SNA Oushadhasala founded by Ashtavaidyan Thrissur Thaikat Mooss. He is also recognized as Member secretary- Clinical Services, Council for International Cooperation of Indian System of Medicine, Department of AYUSH, Under Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government of India.   
His teachings and articles have received much acclaim.

Shakta Kaur Kezios, E-RYT
Shakta Kaur owns Kundalini Yoga in the Loop (KYL), a yoga center based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She teaches Kundalini Yoga and Meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan®, Breathwalk® (walking meditation), and Yoga Teacher Training courses both in the USA and internationally.
From 2004-2008 she served on the Board of Directors of the USA’s Yoga Alliance (YA) in the capacities of Secretary and Chair of the Board. She also served as YA's Interim CEO for eight months. Shakta teaches a tele-class series called 'The Business of Yoga: 
Teach More, Earn More, Serve More' that is popular with yogis from all traditions. She has produced two DVDs--‘The Lunar Woman’ and ‘The Invincible Woman’--reminding us  to forever embrace the beauty and power of women in the world.  In 1987 she founded Women in Franchising, Inc. (WIF) and in 1993, the American Franchisee Association (AFA), a 501(c)6 non-profit organization.

In 1974, Shri. Mukunda was initiated by Swami Muktananda into a deep level of spiritual life through the Tantrik Kundalini process of Shaktipat. Baba Muktananda encouraged him to make Yoga his profession and gave him the name Mukunda, an aspect of the Divine Presence as the compassionate liberator. He also trained in the 900-year old lineage of Prof. Krishnamacharya with teachers like Indra Devi, BKS Iyengar, AG Mohan and TKV Desikachar. He worked closely with Rama Jyoti Vernon, founder of Institute for Yoga Teacher Education. Shri.
Mukunda founded the Yoga Therapy Center in Boston in 1981, where personalized Yoga Therapy was given for a multitude of medical and psychological conditions. He also taught at the Mind Body Medical Institute for five years. Shri. Mukunda joined the executive board of Unity in Yoga International Conferences in 1992. In 1995, he co-founded the American Yoga College.
Since 1999, he has been training Structural Yoga Therapists in two-year courses. He is currently on the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
His books ‘Structural Yoga Therapy’ and ‘Patanjali's Yoga Sutras’ are widely accepted, & he loves sharing his insights from 30 years with Yoga.

A gold medalist from University of Kerala, he is now Assistant Professor at the Trivandrum Government Ayurveda College. He has two post-graduation degrees in Ayurveda, & is an expert in Kaya Chikitsa and Roganidana.
A multi-faceted personality with interests in Arts and literature as well, Dr. Gopakumar has offered his services in Ayurveda Colleges in Karnataka & Kerala. He is a well-known speaker of Ayurveda who presented scientific papers, and has been Resource person at national and international seminars. Dr.Gopakumar has published books on Ayurveda, and holds editorial posts for medical journals.
He is the Regional Coordinator of National Pharmacovigilance Programme (NPC) for AYUSH drugs of Southern states.

James T. Ventresca
D.O.M. (NM), Lic. Ac. (MA), Dipl. Ac. NCCAOM)  
James teaches acupuncture to health care professionals, as the director and principle instructor  for AcuPractice™ Seminars. 
A 1984 graduate and past faculty member of the New England School of Acupuncture, as one in the first group of acupuncturists in the United States to achieve the status of board certified Diplomate of Acupuncture, he was among the first acupuncturists licensed in the state of Massachusetts, and holds licensure in New Mexico as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine.  In addition to practicing in busy clinical settings and teaching acupuncture and Oriental medicine since 1984, Dr. Ventresca is a co-founder of a publicly funded HIV/AIDS Substance Abuse Treatment Center. 
He served as Academic Dean at the Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico campuses for Southwest Acupuncture College from 1995 through 2001.  He has also held the positions of Full Professor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and Campus Director at Southwest Acupuncture College, served on the Faculty of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture in Carefree, Arizona, and served as the Medical Director for Integrative Medicine at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 
Dr. Ventresca has trained thousands of Oriental medical students, medical doctors, chiropractors, doctors of Oriental medicine, nurses, and other health care professionals in virtually all aspects of acupuncture and Oriental medicine.  “Dr. Jim” Currently directs, and teaches classes full-time for, AcuPractice™ Seminars in various locations throughout the US. 

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