manojavam 2025 - presenters

In a vibrant Indian family, young Yatidharmananda, once the “spoilt kid” of a businessman-magician, found his destiny at 17. Sent to retrieve his father from Sivananda Ashram, he encountered Swami Chidanandaji, whose presence transformed him. Guided by his Guru, he thrived as a systems analyst in Delhi and a programmer in Hong Kong. In 1996, at 24, he became Swami Chidanandaji’s assistant, embracing Sannyasa Diksha in 2000. Serving tirelessly, he absorbed profound wisdom. By 2003, he modernised the ashram, designing books and archiving sacred footage. In 2015, he founded Swami Chidananda Sevashram, blending Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedanta. Since 2016, his global workshops, soulful kirtans, and stories have inspired many. As General Secretary of Swami Sivanand Seva Samiti since 2020, he radiates blessings from Uttarkashi. In 2023, he shone as the sole Indian monk at Chicago’s Parliament of the World’s Religions.
Dr. Robert E. Svoboda, born in Texas in 1953, earned a B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in French from the University of Oklahoma in 1972. In 1973, he was ritually initiated as the first white member of Kenya's Pokot tribe before relocating to India, where he immersed himself in its ancient wisdom traditions. From 1973–1980 and 1982 to 1986, Svoboda resided in India, graduating as the first Westerner from the Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya at the University of Poona with a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) in 1980. He clinched nearly all academic excellence awards, including the Ram Narayan Sharma Gold Medal. Under the tutelage of his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda, he delved deeply into Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra, and classical Indian lore. Svoboda also managed Vimalananda's thoroughbred racehorses as an Authorised Racing Agent at Bombay and Poona's Royal Western India Turf Club from 1975–1985. Since 1986, Svoboda has lectured globally on these subjects, averaging three months annually in India. He founded Sushakti for traditional Ayurvedic products and teaches at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A prolific author, his works include the Aghora trilogy and Ayurveda: Life, Health, and Longevity, blending Eastern and Western perspectives to make ancient healing accessible.
Dr. Ramkumar Kutty, a lifelong devotee of Ayurveda from a traditional Kerala family, graduated from a gurukul-like college in the lush Western Ghats in the late 1980s. Amid elephants at the window and invigorating waterfall baths, he and fellow students forged a vision of nature-integrated healing that tempered body and mind like steel. In 2002, inspired by classical texts, he co-founded Punarnava Ayurveda Trust with visionary friends, birthing Vaidyagrama in 2009—a self-sustaining healing village near Coimbatore. This eco-haven, crafting its own bricks, herbs, and energy, embodies authentic Ayurveda: not mere cures, but profound shifts awakening the body's innate wisdom. For two decades, Dr. Ramkumar has traversed continents—Americas to Asia—delivering talks and workshops on holistic well-being, blending ancient lore with modern vitality.
​Prof. Mala Kapadia is a highly accomplished scholar and practitioner with a distinguished career spanning research, education, journalism, human resources, and consulting. She has completed as the Principal Investigator for the Ministry of 
Education (India) Indian Knowledge Systems Research Project on Wellbeing and Happiness based on Hitayu and Sukhayu from Ayurveda, the first Wellbeing and Happiness Framework from India.
Pioneer in promoting research and teaching, she has curated AyuManasa for AVPRF in 2022. She has also been Chairperson for Ayurveda Conversations since 2023. First International Symposium ManaSwasthya was curated by her, and she is the Chairperson, July 2025. Dr. Kapadia has a Diploma in Yoga & Ayurveda from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, Certification in Sattvavajay 
Chikitsa and Bhoot Vidya.
Dr. E.K. Ramanandan, a third-generation Ayurveda physician from Kerala’s esteemed Erattapalliyalil Vaidya family, embodies the timeless wisdom of ancient healing. Immersed in the gurukula tradition at Coimbatore’s Ayurveda College, he earned his BAMS, forging bonds with lifelong collaborators amid nature’s embrace. In 1994, he founded Thulasi Ayurveda Chikitsalayam in Alanallur—a sanctuary blending hospital care with authentic medicine production. As a founding member of Punarnava Ayurveda Trust in 2002, he co-visioned Vaidyagrama’s eco-healing village near Coimbatore. Since 2014, as Medical Director of its Green Hospital cluster, he leads holistic therapies in Panchakarma and general medicine. His expertise, honed over 30 years, has drawn global seekers, culminating in organizing the 2015 International Ayurveda Conference. With compassion as his guide, Dr. Ramanandan nurtures body, mind, and spirit toward profound renewal.
Shyam Nataraj is a senior disciple of the internationally renowned Vedantin Swami A. Parthasarathy. Shyam is a graduate of Madras University and has a professional degree in Accounting (Grad. CWA). As a student, Shyam excelled academically and athletically and received several awards. He was then a dynamic member of the finance and IT industry for six years. His insight, clarity and entrepreneurial skills were sought after by various business organisations. Shyam was always interested in the philosophy of Vedanta and its practical applicability in the corporate world.
After quitting his thriving business, Shyam took up the study of Vedanta in 2000 by joining the Vedanta Academy of the Vedanta Cultural Foundation to devote himself fully to the study and research of Vedanta under Swami A. Parthasarathy. He was a trustee of the Vedanta Cultural Foundation for a decade. He has also travelled to countries like the United States, Canada, the UK, Singapore, South Africa, Singapore & Australia to organise and disseminate Vedanta. Shyam has authored research papers and articles published in leading national and international journals.
Shyam currently conducts programs on Vedanta in India and abroad. His lectures on introductory Vedantic texts such as Bhaja Govindam and Atmabodha and scriptural texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads have been well received by the public for over two decades. In his lectures, he emphasises the Vedantic principles as a tool for productive and harmonious social interaction.
His audiences include corporate and management institutes such as Symantec Corporation and the International Institute of Information Technology. He has also participated in international forums such as the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 
Harini Nataraj
Harini is a senior disciple of Swami A. Parthasarathy. With a Commerce degree, she pursued full-time study of Vedanta at the Vedanta Academy in Pune, India. Vedanta is the knowledge of life and living found in the ancient scriptures of India. Guided by Swamiji, Harini spent nearly two decades focusing on the study and dissemination of Vedanta. She has travelled internationally, including to the USA, Canada, UK, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, organising programs & delivering talks to share Vedanta's teachings. Harini conducts regular Vedanta sessions in Mumbai for educational institutions, corporations, individuals, and seekers. She teaches texts like Bhaja Govindam and the Bhagavad Gita, and her sessions on self-management, success, relationships, and parenting is well-regarded. Her research on Vedanta has been published in Academic journals.
Introducing the dynamic Dr OmPrakash, a force to be reckoned with in the world of Ayurveda! Hailing from the vibrant cultural hub of Thanjavur in South India, Dr OmPrakash embarked on his journey in the realm of holistic healing at the esteemed Coimbatore Ayurveda College, graduating in 2009. Fueling his passion for a multidisciplinary approach, he honed his skills through an intensive course in Clinical Orientation at FRLHT, Bengaluru, and delved deep into the rich tapestry of Sanskrit with a rigorous program at Sanskrita Bharati, Tamil Nadu. For seven fruitful years, Dr OmPrakash carved a path of excellence at Vaidyagrama Ayurveda, setting the stage for a stellar career. In 2016, driven by a sense of duty, he took up the mantle of Asst. Medical Officer at the Ayurveda Dispensary near Kanyakumari, contributing his expertise to the community. Now, in the dawn of 2023, Dr OmPrakash returns triumphantly to Vaidyagrama, embracing his multifaceted role as a vaidya, teacher, leader, and guide with unmatched zeal. His heart beats for the healing power of herbs, as evidenced by his extensive field surveys and studies around Kanyakumari from 2016 to 2023. Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr OmPrakash finds solace and rejuvenation in the embrace of nature. He is an avid nature walker and a passionate advocate of forest bathing, recognising the profound impact of nature on holistic well-being. Dr OmPrakash is a maestro when it comes to Skin and Allergy specialities, bringing a unique blend of expertise and compassion to every patient. ​Get ready to embark on a transformative journey of wellness with this extraordinary healer, where ancient wisdom meets modern science for a truly holistic approach to health!​
Rama Prasad, trained in the 1980s at Coimbatore Ayurveda College in Gurukula system and then deepened his Ayurveda expertise through internships with Vaidyamadhom Cheriya Narayanan Namboodiri. By the 1990s, he embraced holistic medicine, mind-based healing, and non-verbal (tongue) health assessment, joining the college as a tutor and lecturing at Arsha Vidya Peetham. His research from 1993–1996 highlighted fasting’s benefits in reducing hospital stays and costs. In Australia since 1996, he identified 1,760 native Australian Ayurvedic herbs and trained in Hypnotherapy and Mind-Body Medicine. Over 25 years, he introduced thousands to Ayurveda, developed Tongue Diagnosis, and spoke at 40+ global conferences. Since 2023, he is coaching at Vaidyagrama.
Dr. Ben Bernstein is a clinical psychologist and veteran educator specializing in optimal performance. He is the author of four books on how stress affects performance and works with physicians, dentists, athletes, parents, and many people of all ages who take tests. As an educator, he has taught at every level of the educational system. Originally trained in London, in the progressive British infant schools in the late ’60s, he has received major grants from the American and Canadian governments for his work. He lectures worldwide, live and online, to diverse audiences, and writes a popular blog on the Psychology Today website. He has a parallel career as a composer and director of opera and is the founder of the non—profit arts organization The Singer’s Gym.