Swami Mukundananda

• Global Spiritual Leader
• Distinguished alumnus of IIT and IIM
• World-renowned authority on Mind Management and Holistic Health
• Founder of JKYog, an International Educational & Charitable Organization
• Founder of the Yogic system, “Yoga for the Body, Mind and Soul”
• Given Keynote Addresses at Fortune 500 companies and top universities like MIT, Stanford, and Yale
• Inspired youth around the world to succeed - both internally and externally
• His annual Life Transformation Programs inspired many to live productive and fulfilling lives

Dr.Karan Singh

Chief Guest

​Dr. Karan Singh was born on 9 March 1931 as Yuvraj of Jammu and Kashmir in Cannes, France, to Maharaja Hari Singh and Maharani Tara Devi. He had a brilliant educational career in the Doon School, Jammu and Kashmir University, Delhi University, where he created a university record in M.A. Political Science and went on to do his Ph.D. on the political thought of Sri Aurobindo. He became the youngest person to become a Cabinet Minister at the age of 36 and served for 10 years. He was elected four times to the Lok Sabha from the Udhampur constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. In 1989 he was appointed Ambassador to the United States and for eight years was India's Member on the UNESCO Governing Board. He chaired the Auroville Foundation for 20 years and was a four-time member of the Rajya Sabha. Dr. Karan Singh is recognized as an outstanding thinker in India and abroad and has written 20 books on a variety of subjects, specially the Environment, the Interfaith Movement and Vedanta.

Prof. Debashis Chatterjee

Distinguished Guest of Honor

Author & Director, IIM Kozhikode.

Topic: Timeless Leaderhip: Leadership Sutras from the Bhagavad Gita 

Professor Debashis Chatterjee has taught leadership classes at Harvard University and at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta, Lucknow and Kozhikode for nearly two decades. He has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship twice for Pre-Doctoral and Post-Doctoral work at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. His published work includes eighteen books including the recent release Karma Sutras: Leadership and Wisdom in Uncertain Times, Leading Consciously (foreword for both books by Peter M Senge) and Timeless Leadership (Wiley) that have been translated in several international languages. He has trained more than twenty thousand managers globally in Fortune 100 Corporations and over twenty-five thousand school principals and teachers. His books Can You Teach A Zebra Some Algebra and Invincible Arjuna has emerged as path-breaking books in the education space in India. He has served as leadership coach to political leaders and CEOs of major Indian organizations. He has served as Dean of an international business school in Singapore. A pioneer in the field of Asian models in leadership, Professor Chatterjee has served a successful term (2009- 2014) as the Director at IIM Kozhikode. Dean and tenured Professor at IIM Lucknow and Mentor Director of IIM Amritsar (2018-19), Prof. Chatterjee is credited with transforming IIM Kozhikode from an obscure regional school to an institution of national impact and global recognition. He also served as Director General of IMI Delhi, India’s first corporate-sponsored business school and as Independent Director on the Boards of several multinational and Indian Companies. Prof. Debashis Chatterjee has been reappointed as Director of IIM Kozhikode for a second 5 years term beginning 2018.

He can be reached at: www.debchat.com  https://in.linkedin.com/in/debashischatterjee1

Dr.Kiran Bedi

Distinguished Guest of Honor

Topic for Discourse: My Takeaways from Bhagavad Gita

Kiran Bedi is the first woman to have joined the officer ranks of Indian Police Service. She was the 24th Lt Governor of Puducherry. She is PHD from IIT Delhi with a postdoctoral Nehru fellowship. She is an author of several books. An Asian tennis champion. Winner of gallantry award and the Magsaysay Award also known as Asia’s Nobel Peace Award. She has a biopic on her life called Yes Madam Sir. Made by an Australian. She founded two Foundations, Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation which serve the underprivileged in rural urban areas and in prisons.

Mr.Shiv Khera

Distinguished Guest of Honor

Topic: How to Turn Setbacks into Comebacks! 

Mr. Shiv Khera is an Author, Educator, Business Consultant and a much sought-after speaker. He inspires and encourages individuals to realize their true potential. He has taken his dynamic personal messages to opposite sides of the globe, from the U.S. to Singapore. His 40 years of research and understanding has put millions on the path of growth and fulfillment.

Over 8 million copies of his books have been sold globally including his international bestseller “You Can Win” in 21 languages.

His clients include Lufthansa, HP, DHL, HSBC, Canon, Nestle, Philips, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Metlife and many more.

Tens of thousands have benefitted from his dynamic workshops internationally in over 20 countries and millions have heard him as a Keynote Speaker. He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows.

Mr. Khera is the brand ambassador of Round Table Foundation. He has been honored by The Lions International and Rotary International.

His Trademark is

“Winners don't do different things, They do things differently.”®

Brahmacharini Gloria Arieira

Topic for the Discourse: Understanding priorities and choosing the best action

​In January 1974, Gloria Arieira went to India and studied under Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Since her return to Brazil, she has been teaching Vedanta and Sanskrit, since 1979, in Rio de Janeiro and other cities in Brazil and in Portugal, since 2009. 

• She founded Vidya Mandir Study Center in Rio de Janeiro through which many books on Vedanta have been published in Portuguese language. 
• Gloria Arieira has been awarded one of India's highest civilian honors, the Padma Shri Award, on Republic Day 2020, for her pioneering Sanskrit and Vedanta Literature and Education in Brazil.

Dr. Sanjay Kalra

Topic for Discourse: Bhagavad Gita for the Physician

Dr. Sanjay Kalra, DM AIIMS), FRCP (Edin), has been a consultant endocrinologist at Bharti Hospital, Karnal, India, for over two decades. He serves as Education Editor of the International Society of Endocrinology (ISE) as well as Deputy Chair of the ISE Working Group on Advocacy and Partnership. He works to improve endocrine education across the world, and is a member of the Program Organizing Committee of the International Congress of Endocrinology planned for Singapore, 2022 . As Section Editor, Tropical Endocrinology, of the textbook EndoText, he has spearheaded the global EndoText webinars on clinical cases. Immediate Past President of the Endocrine Society of India (ESI) (2020/21), and Vice-President of South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies SAFES), he remains busy in clinical care, patient education, research and medical writing. 

He contributes to multiple international journals, including Diabetes Therapy and Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare in editorial roles. Executive Editor of the Indian Journal Endocrinology Metabolism (IJEM); from 2011 to 2015, he is also Section Editor, Diabetes, of the Endocrine Society of India (ESI) Manual of Clinical Endocrinology (1st and 2nd editions) and Section Editor, Endocrinology, of the Association of Physicians of India (API) Textbook of Medicine, 11th edition. 

He won the global DAWN Award for best translational research in diabetes in 2009. In his spare time, he finds time to indulge in his favorite hobby, the folk dance bhangra, and exercise with the traditional Indian bell-club, the mugdar.
 

Dr.Prasad Kaipa

Topic for the talk: Can Gita help me find answers to my questions?

Dr.Prasad Kaipa is a thought leader in innovation, leadership and his unique contribution for the past 30 years has been to bring neurological and cognitive models and spiritual frameworks to apply in the area of business. Prasad was recognized as one of the top Management Thinkers of Indian origin by Thinkers50. He has advised and coached over 100 C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies, co-authored the best-selling book “From Smart to Wise,” and co-founded the TiE (Entrepreneur) Institute to work with start up entrepreneurs.

He currently sits on the boards of Samskrita Bharati USA, Yoga Bharati and North South Foundation. He is also chairman of Center for Consciousness Studies and Inner Transformation, part of Indic Academy.

He led executive education programs organized by INSEAD, IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business, USC's Marshall School of Business, Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and London School of Business. He published in HBR, SMR, Business Week, Forbes, and the New York Times, and his second book, “You Can Be Smarter and Wiser” with Meera Shenoy, came out in 2016. In Apple, he served as a technology advisor, a Product Marketing manager, and an Apple University research fellow. Prasad holds a Ph.D. in physics from IIT Madras and helped build an international research laboratory at the University of Utah while he was an assistant professor. He is also the co-founder and founding academic dean for the Hindu Community Institute, was a clinical professor and founding Executive Director of ISB's Center for Leadership, Innovation, and Change, and served as a member on the Government of India's "Innovation and Knowledge Creation" panel in 2017.

Swami Sarvadevananda

Topic of the discourse: Principle of cause & effect - Choices have consequences - The Law of Karma.

Swami Sarvadevananda, the minister and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India. He lived near Belur Math from 1960 onward, and thus got the opportunity to come into contact with many monks who were initiated by the Holy Mother, Swami Brahmananda, Swami Shivananda, and other direct disciples of Ramakrishna.

Swami was initiated by Swami Shankarananda, the 7th President of the Order, in 1961, and joined the monastery at Belur Math, near Kolkata, in 1965. For the next two decades, he served at Saradapitha, a major educational and technical training institution next to Belur Math, managing and imparting spiritual values to the students of the teachers’ training institute, the Vidyamandir college, and the technical training schools. During this time, he also had the privilege to serve at a camp for refugees affected by the Bangladesh war in 1971.

Swami became the head of the Ramakrishna Mission, Sikra, the birthplace of Swami Brahmananda, in 1988. While there, he initiated literacy and health programs for hundreds of underprivileged villagers and performed relief and rehabilitation work for the homeless.

In 1993, Swami Sarvadevananda was posted to the Vedanta Society of Southern California to serve as assistant minister, under Swami Swahananda. He was appointed the minister and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society in 2012.

In addition to regular lectures and classes, Swami Sarvadevananda addresses schools, colleges, and religious groups throughout Southern California and other parts of the United States whenever called upon. He represented the Vedanta Society as a delegate on the Interreligious Council of Southern California and the Hindu-Catholic and Hindu-Episcopal Dialogue of Los Angeles, serves as one of the directors of the Hindu Students’ Organization at USC, and sits on the Advisory Council of the Guibord Center. Swami frequently visits Vedanta centers throughout the United States.

Dr. D.Murali Krishna, PhD-Bio

Topic for discourse: "Management of Self for Effective Leadership"

Dr Dantu Murali Krishna, M.Sc, Ph.D. is from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Basically, he is a Scientist, having more than 36 years of Research experience in various reputed pharmaceutical companies including Lupin Ltd, one of the top pharma Companies in India which has significant global presence. He has number of papers & patent publications for his scientific research work in his professional tenure on variety of drug molecules and pharmaceuticals.

In addition, he is also a writer and singer as well. He has made intensive efforts for the last one decade on Bhagavad-Gita and conceptualized with management aspects useful for the youth and for whole mankind. He created audio albums, books and also published number of articles in national and international Journals with life management aspects based on Bhagavad-Gita. His whole work is on Spiritual Management useful in our lives utilizing the knowledge available in Bhagavad-Gita for peace, happiness and enlightenment.

AWARDS AND HONOURS 

Considering his significant contribution on Bhagavad-Gita on management concepts useful for the Society, his name entered in India Book of Records and also in International Book of Records. As his work on Bhagavad-Gita is useful for the student community, he received certificates of appreciation from professors & Vice Chancellors of Universities and Institutes such as Andhra University; Delhi University; Banaras Hindu University; Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan; Indian Institute of Management; Indian Counsel of Philosophical Research; Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies; Entered his name in Wikipedia as well.

Swami Sadaatmananda

Topic of discourse: Relevance of Bhagavad  Gita in modern time.

Swami Sadaatmanandaji was born in 1962 in Gujarat, India. His spiritual pursuit started at a young age, even while he was in school. In 1997 he was initiated into sanyasa by Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati. From 1994 to 2014 swamiji was in charge of Asha vidya Kendra, Bangalore. Well versed in scriptures and Sanskrit, Swamiji conducted regular classes on Bhagavadgītā, Upaniṣads, Brahmasūtra, Purāṇas, Sanskrit and prakrana granthas in Bangalore for 20 years. In addition to his regular classes, he also taught children and young adults. Out of compassion, he initiated and motivated various social activities undertaken by the Kendra in Bangalore.

Since May 2014, he has been the chief acharya of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Coimbator, Swamiji, conducting long term residential courses on Prasthantrayi (based on Shankarbhashyam), prakranagranthas and Sanskrit. Swamiji is a curious student who is always eager to learn. Swamiji is also a very versatile and an effective teacher who can reach out to a wide variety of audience both young and old, jnana-margis and bhaktas.

He has deep love and respect for studying, understanding and teaching śāstra. He can convey subtle, complex, seemingly contradictory messages of śāstra with precision and clarity with his unique teaching style. His teaching style is comprehensive, simple, clear with a lot of examples and laughter. He is light hearted, full of compassion, easily accessible and always ready to help. His vairagya and highly disciplined life in keeping with śāstra, his love for accurate expression, his cheerful compassion and his dedication to parampara are a great inspiration to all.

Swamini Svatmavidyananda Saraswati, PhD

Topic for discourse: Bhagavad Gita’s relevance for day to day life

Dr. Swamini Svatmavidyananda Saraswati has taught at several universities nationally, including UC Berkeley. She is widely recognized as a scholar of Advaita Vedanta, and is a disciple of Pujya Sri Swami Dayanandaji Saraswati, an internationally known Acharya of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, interfaith leader, and scholastic author of Vedanta, responsible for the inception of the All India Movement for Seva (AIM for Seva), a non-profit enabling rural Indian children to receive a proper education. She is widely in demand for lectures and seminars, in the USA and internationally, for her expertise in interreligious engagement, and in-depth training and scholarship on Advaita Vedanta. Dr. Saraswati is the Acharya of Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, which was founded in 2004 and has centers in Atlanta, GA, Eugene, OR, Washington DC, Detroit, MI, Milwaukee, WI, and Fort Meyers, FL.

As a founding member of the “Global Women's Peace Initiative,” she has traveled globally addressing the ever-increasing challenges that face humanity in a global ethos. An erudite scholar, Swamini-ji addresses contemporary challenges facing the world, from global warming to religious/social unrest, in her unfolding of the Upanishads, the foundational spiritual texts of the Hindu tradition

Dr. Menas C. Kafatos

Topic: Seeking the Divine in Life: Unity Awareness in the Quantum-like Reality

Dr. Menas C. Kafatos, Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics, Chapman University,Orange, CA 92866

The Bhagavad Gita is a timeless work encompassing philosophy, way of living and spiritual awareness. We may ask questions, how such a profound ancient text connects to modern science? Seeking Unity awareness in life can be both spiritual and scientific. In fact, these two fundamental modalities of human thought and experience are complementary. In this presentation, we will see how modern quantum mechanics and ancient yoga ultimately address similar issue, the Nature of Reality. This Reality is multi-dimensional, open, infinite in space and time and most important is Consciousness itself.

Dr. Menas C. Kafatos is The Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics at Chapman University. He received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. He is the Founding Dean of the Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University, serving as dean in 2009 – 2012. He directs the Center of Excellence in Earth Systems Modeling and Observations. He has more than 45 years of experience in undergraduate and graduate teaching and research. He has published numerous books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe with Robert Nadeau (Springer-Verlag and Oxford 2000 and 1999), Principles of Integrative Science with Mihai Draganescu (Romanian Academy of Sciences Press 2003), the NY Times Bestseller You Are The Universe with Deepak Chopra (Harmony 2017) and Science, reality & everyday life (P. Asimakis Publisher 2020); and more than 340 articles in computational science, astrophysics, Earth systems science, hazards and global climate change, regional impacts of climate change, environmental issues, general relativity, cosmology, quantum mechanics, and consciousness. Research Gate in its database lists 390+ publications under his name with RG Score: 41.34; h-index: 34. Publications: include refereed journal articles, refereed book chapters, and refereed published proceedings. Books: 21. Total Citations: 3,738+ (from Web of Science).

Swami Sachidananada Saraswati

Topic for discourse : Relevance of Bhagavad-Gita in Millennial

Swami Sachidananada Saraswati is a student disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

Swamiji has been Teaching Bhagavad-Gita , Upanishad and vedic knowledge to across all age groups all over India.swamiji has been conducting seminars in life skills for youngsters in particular.

Swamiji studied Management degree at Christ college Bangalore and graduated with Fist Rank as a Gold medalist.

After College , Swamiji joined Gurukulam at Coimbatore and Studied Vedanta. After which he moved to the Himalayas for Sadhana.

Swamiji is also involved in Many Seva projects at Rishikesh and North India.

At an young age of 29 Swami Sachidananda received Sannyasa Deeksha. Swami Sachidanand ji is also the Peetadish of Sri Vasavi Peetam which is the spiritual center for more than 350 Vasavi Temples across southern states of India.

Swami Atmashraddhananda

Topic: Gita's Message on Self-transformation

Swami Atmashraddhananda joined the Ramakrishna Monastic Order in 1989 and was ordained as monk in 1999.

He is a former editor of the Vedanta Kesari, the English monthly published from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai. He has edited, authored and translated a couple of books on education, Indian culture and teachings of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda.

He was the spiritual mentor of Vivekananda Study Circle, IIT Madras for 12 years and presently conducts weekly meditation classes for Vivekananda Samiti IIT Kanpur.

He is the Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Kanpur since October 2018.