India on the March

Vinod Balakrishnan is a Professor in English in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. He is a practising poet, motivational speaker, reviewer of books and a yoga enthusiast. He earned his Ph.D in “Popular Fiction and the Use of History” from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. He was a Fellow at the School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University, New York in 2008. He is a recipient of a Bronze Medal for poetry by the National Library of Poetry, USA. His poems have been archived and widely anthologized. He is the author of Indian Classics in English Translation and has coauthored a book on Literary Theory. He is also the General Editor of the 12-Volume Encyclopaedia of World Mythology (2013) in Malayalam. His articles have appeared in HUMOR, Catalan Journal of Communicatio n and Cultural Studies, European Journal of Humour Research, Partial Answers, The Journal of Creative Communications, Journal of Dharma, Pragmatism Today, Archiv Orientalni, a/b:auto/biography studies, Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, South Asian Review, Journal of Somaesthetics, LitCrit, Indian Literature, CIEFL Bulletin, Journal of English Language Teaching and Indian Express. Currently, he is working on “The Role of the Public Intellectual and the Future of the Humanities”.

Office:  +91-431- 2503694
Fax: +91-431-2500133
Email: vinod@nitt.edu

Dr. Soumitra Basu, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kolkata

E-mail:drsbasu@sify.com

Website:www.iiyp.net, www.motsac.org

Phone:03325740514
04132333359
919433060156

Address:P. 273, Block-A, Bangur Avenue, Kolkata 700055, India
Castle Apartment, Block F&G,Ground Floor,
7, Akkaparadesi Madam Street, Puduchery 605003, India

Dr. Soumitra Basu is a psychiatrist working with consciousness paradigms. He conducts workshops on personal growth and is a Founder-Editor of NAMAH, the Journal of Integral Health. He has authored the book “Integral Health”. He is deeply interested in the interplay of Aurobindonian metaphysics and mental health. He has developed a module of Consciousness Based Psychology (CBP) and along with Dr. Michael Miovic has authored a book on CBP (in press) which looks at psychopathology and counselling from an entirely new perspective that arises from the experiential teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. He can be accessed at consciousnessbasedcounselling.com

Date of birth

February, 23rd 1957

Father’s name

Shri Prabhu Tosh Basu

Nationality

Indian

Education

St. Joseph’s College, Kolkata 1966-73
Gurudas College, Pre-medical 1973-4

Nilration Sircar Medical College, Medicine, 1975-80

do, House-staffship in Psychiatry, 1982-3

University College of Medicine, Diploma in Psychological Medicine, 1983-4

do, MD in Psychiatry, 1984-6

Qualifications

M.B.B.S, D.P.M, MD in Psychiatry

Past engagements

1. Project Director, DUVA-SSGS, A Drug Detoxification and Counselling Centre, sponsored by the Central Ministry of Welfare.2.       Part-time Visiting Consultant Psychiatrist to the Dept. of Home (Jails), Govt. of West Bengal.

   3.       Consultant, Alakendu Bodh Niketan Residential (An Institution for the mentally handicapped).

   4.       Hony. Child Psychiatrist, Child Guidance Clinic, Calcutta.

   5.       Researcher in `Multi-Centred Study of Drug Abuse among Students’, a project of the Central Ministry of Welfare, from 1985 to 1987, under Prof. Ajita Chakraborty, MBBS, DPM, FRCPE, FRCP Psych.

Present engagements

1. Consultant psychiatric practice in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry.2.       Faculty, Master of Social Work Course, Vidyasagar University.

   3.        Editor,  New Approaches to Medicine and Health (NAMAH) since initiation in 1993.

   4.       Director, Institute of Integral Yoga Psychology, Auroshakti Foundation, India

   5.       Secretary, Mirravision Trust (Public Charitable Trust)

Work experience

Working as free-lance independent consultant n psychiatry,counselling and integral health approach since 1982

Publications

Has written numerous articles for various journals in the field of psychiatry.Has written many articles for various journals on psychiatry, counselling and consciousness based psychology (Integral Yoga Psychology) and articles pertaining to Sri Aurobindo’s psychological and socio-political thought.
Author of book titled Integral Health.

Interests

Sri Aurobindo”s Integral Yoga, Spirituality based counselling, Boy Scouts’ movement

Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi is the Member Secretary in the Apex Scale at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), India’s premier institution in the field of arts and culture under Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, since 2016.

Born on 9th November 1963, Dr. Joshi is a renowned writer, theatre artist and academician, who served as Vice-Chancellor of Kushabhau Thakre Journalism University, Raipur, for 10 years. Earlier, he served as Registrar and Dean of Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal – a university for the discipline of journalism and mass communication.

He has authored many books in variety of discipline such as short stories, poetry, satire, and memoires and published several articles in reputed journals and books. He has edited several prestigious publications which include the speeches of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for Publication Division. He edited books include “Connecting Through Culture”, “Selected words of Mahatma on Culture and Civilization”, and “The Eternal Truth –Life & Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji”. He has been conferred with several prestigious awards at the national level for his contribution in the field of Culture and Literature.

He is a life member of INTACH, and also on several prestigious committees including NMML, UGC, etc.

Contact :
Mobile: 9205500164
Email: sjoshi09@yahoo.com & ms@ignca.nic.in

Siddharth Belmannu Defies Age With His Talent

Siddhartha Belmannu is a young talented musician hailing from Karkala in Udupi district of Karnataka. Born on 2nd October 1996 into the music loving family of mother Usha and father Prasad Belmannu who recognised early on that he was endowed with a gifted voice, fluent in 3 octaves. Discerning his musical talent, his parents, without further delay enrolled him for initial training in Carnatic Classical Music. Later, he was exposed to Hindustani Classical Music and continued his studies under the tutelage of Sri P R Manjunath, a well known Hindustani musician. At a very young age Siddhartha had already demonstrated tremendous progress and yearned to become a full fledged performing artist in the days to come. Later Master Siddhartha’s good fortune brought him for training under the legendary musician, Pandit Vinayak Torvi ji, Doyen of Gwalior and Kirana Gharana where he is undergoing vigorous training in the Gurukul system from the past 8 years.

From the age of 19, Siddhartha has been performing all across the country on many prestigious platforms. He has also been touring with his Guru Pt.Vinayak Torvi in India as well in the U.S and other countries, gaining invaluable concert experience and performing techniques.
Siddhartha has also been performing Jugalbandi with various Hindustani and Carnatic vocalists and instrumentalists. He has worked with The Grammy Winning composer Ricky Kej for many of his live concerts and projects on environmental awareness. He has performed Indian classical fusions with various artistes. Siddhartha also excels in light music such as Marathi Abhangs, Kannada Devarnaama and Vachanaas.
While Classical Hindustani Music is his core, Siddhartha also enjoys playback singing and has sung for many movies. His originality in music has been widely appreciated in the music industry.

Albums published:

‘Bhargavi’ – Cd1- Raag Bhargavi (Raag composed by Pt.Vinayak Torvi) – Hindi Bhajan – Mishra Pahadi
Cd2 – Raag Marva – Kannada Devarnama – Raag Bhairavi

Shruti Bidwaikar belongs to a family which is deeply connected with Sri Aurobindo and the mother. Her moorings were made stronger by her PhD and the period which she spent in Pondicherry listening to various stalwarts in the Ashram, Society, SACAR and Auroville. Her doctorate thesis was on Sri Aurobindo’s Poetics and Aesthetics. From being a student of SACAR from 2007, she joined work at SACAR as Assistant Director in 2014 to serve here and grow closer to Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Shruti is also the Assistant Editor of the journal New Race which was blessed by the mother in 1964.

Dr. Shruti Bidwaikar

TRUST MEMBER

Area of expertise
Focused on Sri Aurobindo’s writing on aesthetics, literature and culture, Dr. Shruti has published more than a dozen papers in this field
She has to her credit book reviews and forewords to the books written on Sri Aurobindo’s vision

Role

Trust Member, Assistant Director
Subjects taught at SACAR
Poetry of the Future, Rhythm of Social Development

Education

MA in English Literature, Fergusson College, Pune 2006

Research

PhD in English Literature on Sri Aurobindo’s Aesthetics, Pondicherry University, 2012
Vision, Experience, and Experiment in Sri Aurobindo’s Poetry and Poetics

Publications (Journals)

“The Concept of Man” New Race: A Journal of Integral Studies
“Woman at War”. Sri Aurobindo’s Action: A Journal of India’s Resurgence
“Literature and Consciousness” New Race: A Journal of Integral Studies
“Appreciating Beauty in Literature: an Aurobindonian Perspective” New Race
“The Critical Criteria for Appreciating Poetry in Sri Aurobindo’s Writings”
“The Force in Shakespeare’s Plays in Sri Aurobindo’s Perspective”
Sri Aurobindo’s Intuitive Appreciation of Poetry: A Synthesis of Indian and Western Literary Theories”
“Human Sacrifice and the Duel of Supernatural Forces
“Bhakti in the Light of Sri Aurobindo” New Race: A Journal of Integral Studies.
“The Giant Dance of Shiva” Prabuddha Bharata

Beyond role

Publication and Editing research works on Sri Aurobindo

Shri Shiva Kumar,
Director of India Council for Integral Education, Sri Aurobindo Society.

After completeing his graduationin in mechanical engineering ,a diploma in computer aided design and a 5 year stint in the corporate world ,mr shivakumar deided to turn his attention exclusively to an experential understanding andpractice of indian spirituality .
In th eyear 2001 ,h ejoine the sri aurobindo society ,ouducheryand has ince ben engaged in bringing about a deep change in th efireld of ediucation. He conducts workshops and camps on integral eduation for educationists ,teachers parents ,and students .Besides organising camps and workshops he has also undertaken several projects related to education ,at sri aurobindo society

Prof. Sachchidananda Mishra assumed the responsibility of the post of Member Secretary in the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, on 8th June 2021. He is a well-known academician in the areas of Indian Logic and Epistemology, Conceptual development of Navya-Nyāya, AdvaitaVedānta, ŚuddhādvaitaVedānta, Kashmiri Śaiva Schools and Indian Aesthetics, besides being an erudite scholar in classical philosophy and literature in Sanskrit. He is a professor of Philosophy and Religion at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, since 2010, where he joined as Reader in 2004.  He served as a lecturer in Nyāya in Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan,(Deemed University), Sadāśiva Campus, Puri, after shifting from a college where he started his initial teaching carrier in Sanskritsince 1996.  He has his Vidyā-Vāridhi (Ph.D.) in Nyāyābhimateśvarasya Darśanāntaradṛṣṭyā Paryālocanam in 1997. He has triple masters’ degrees – in Navya Nyāya, Shankara-Vedānta, and Sanskrit Sāhitya. He has also been a recipient of MaharṣhiBādrāyaṇVyāsSammān (Presidential award) for the year 2009, besides being selected by ICCR for the prestigious Sanskrit chair at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris in 2012.
He has authored and edited around 11 noted books, basically in the field of Nyāya, Vedānta and other areas of Philosophy and Sanskrit literature. He has also edited the eminent research journal,Anvikṣiki(vol. 7 to 11). He has contributed chapters in various books, and published more than 50 research papers in various journals. He has been invited as resource person in academic events, like seminars, conferencesand workshops and special lecture programmes, and his contribution in them are well applauded.

Sachchidananda Mishra (Hindi: सच्चिदानन्द मिश्र, born March 1, 1971) is a Varanasi-based Sanskrit scholar.[1] He is a professor of Philosophy and Religion at the Benares Hindu University. He was awarded the Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Award for Sanskrit for the year 2009 by Pratibha Patil, the then President of India. He specializes in Indian philosophy and Sanskrit grammar.

Work

Mishra has edited and authored seven books, which include:[1]
Vedāntasāra of Sadānanda with the Bālabodhinī commentary of Āpadeva and the Bālavyutpattivardhinī Hindi commentary
Mānasollāsa with the Mānasollāsavardhinī commentary by Ānanda Kṛṣṇa Śāstrī
Nyāyadarśana Meṃ Anumāna
Tattvacintāmaṇiprabhā
Vyutpattivāda with a detailed introductory commentary in Hindi

Professor Basuthkar Jagadeeshwar Rao, currently the Vice-chancellor at Univ of Hyderabad served as Senior Professor, Chair of Biology, Dean-Faculty, at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and was associated with Biology Department at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai for about 24 y and served as Senior Professor and Chair of the Biology programme before moving on to IISER-Tirupati in 2018. He is a National Science Talent Awardee (1st in AP, 16th rank in India), received his PhD from Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru) and worked as a Research Scientist at Yale University Medical school (USA) before joining TIFR, Mumbai.
Prof. Rao is a Fellow of all three National Academies of India, Sir JC Bose awardee from the Department of Science and Technology. He has made fundamental contributions in the areas of Genome Biology and Cellular regulations and adaptations where he published about 160 peer reviewed international publications with high citations and impact. His publications range from experimental to theoretical Biology to Chemistry and Physics.
He has chaired and been a member of several National and International committees on various policy matters related to Science, Technology and Education. He has widely travelled and lectured across the globe and is a strong votary of knowledge-centric, concepts-oriented interactive modes of learning methods combined with a strong “do-it-yourself” critical thinking model.
Prof. Rao has won many awards and recognitions. He has contributed significantly as the Chief-Editor of Journal of Biosciences, a flagship journal of Indian Academy of Sciences and Springer Nature, combined and has been instrumental in its high impact. He has been a DST-
Inspire teacher, articulating the current excitements of basic Biology to undergraduate students across India. He perceives Biology as a complex manifestation of physics-chemistry of a dynamically evolving system and emphasizes the design principles in Biology. He has delivered numerous technical and public lectures for varied audiences. Reaching young minds has been his passion.

Professor Raghuvendra Tanwar is the Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi (ICHR) since January 2022. He is also the Chairman of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi (ICPR). Prof. Tanwar has a distinguished academic background, having received two Gold Medals at the Post Graduate level for standing ‘First Class First’ in M.A. History and for securing the highest percentage of marks in the Faculty of Social Sciences from Kurukshetra University in 1977. He joined Kurukshetra University as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of History in August 1977. ). Later at Kurukshetra, he has held positions such as Dean Academic Affairs and Dean Faculty of Social Sciences.

He was granted the position of ‘Professor Emeritus by the university. From July 2016 to December 2021, he served as the Director of the Haryana Academy of History and Culture, an autonomous body of the Government of Haryana.

Professor Tanwar is well-known for his research on the partition of India, particularly in Punjab, and his work on the history of Jammu & Kashmir during the critical phase of 1947-1953. His book titled “Be Clear Kashmir Will Vote for India” (2019) published by Routledge, London & Manohar, New Delhi challenges existing narratives by highlighting how public opinion in Kashmir .one of the hall marks is his book — “Reporting the Partition of Punjab –
His most recent study, “The Story of India’s Partition” (2021), features 240 photographs and illustrations,. Other notable publications include the well-received monograph “Introduction to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar” and a compilation of articles written for national newspapers titled “Frankly Speaking.” He has also co-authored an illustrated biography of Bansi Lal, the architect of modern Haryana which is published both in English and Hindi.

Professor Tanwar has been a National Fellow of the UGC (Research Awardee), recipient of the UGC Major Research Project award, and a Foreign Travel Research Awardee of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHRHe served as the President of the Modern Section of the Punjab History Conference in 2001 and later became the General President of the Punjab History Conference in 2017. In 2008, the Indian History Congress introduced a new Section on the Contemporary History of India, and Professor Tanwar was selected as its first President.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Prof. Tanwar has been involved with several educational institutions focusing on rural areas and women’s education for many decades. He is also known for his achievements as a sportsman and has captained the University and the Haryana State Lawn Tennis Teams.

Shri Pradeep Narang was born in an industrial family. He went into business after having completed Masters in Economics from Lucknow University and looked after the family sugar mills and ancillary industries for two decades. He was the President of Indian Sugar Mills Association in 1973-74.
However, having been drawn to the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother he came to Pondicherry in 1982 and gave up business thereafter totally. He is at present the whole time honorary Chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society.
In his thirty years in the service of Sri Aurobindo Society he has guided the setting up and management of the schools run by the Society across the country, besides overseeing the other aspects of work of Sri Aurobindo Society. He looks into the financial, legal, campus/construction related matters and any key decisions regarding the school.

Dr. Pranjal Garg is an expert in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, and completed his Master’s degree in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He further pursued his Doctorate in Archaeology. He has extensive experience teaching at the Post-Graduate level in various universities and is currently a faculty member at the Department of History in Central University of Tami Nadu, Thiruvarur.

Dr. Garg’s research interests were initially influenced by Sri Aurobindo’s works on Indian culture, specifically “The Foundations of Indian Culture” and “The Human Cycle.” During his graduation, he conducted research on the symbolic significance of sacrifice (yajña) in Vedas and Indian culture. He presented this research in an open talk during his final year and later published it in Mother India, a monthly cultural review. Since then, he has been dedicated to merging different aspects of History with Indian culture and lesser-known indigenous classical knowledge systems. His goal is to provide more meaningful and relevant insights into mainstream Historical studies by approaching them from a holistic perspective. His research primarily focuses on ancient Indian culture, classical archaeology, archaeological sciences, Vedic and Indian philosophy, symbolism, and Itihasa, along with other significant aspects of ancient Indian History.

Makarand R. Paranjape is currently the senior-most professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He joined JNU as a full professor in 1999 after serving as an Associate Professor at the IIT-Delhi and Reader at Central University of Hyderabad prior to that. He was educated at St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received a Masters and PhD in English in 1985. He is the author/editor of over 50 books and close to 200 academic papers/book chapters and thousands of newspaper and magazine articles. His latest books include the 3rd revised edition of The Penguin Sri Aurobindo Reader (2023), JNU: Nationalism and India’s Uncivil War (Rupa, 2022) and Identity’s Last Secret (BluOne Ink, 2022), Swami Vivekananda: Hinduism and India’s Road to Modernity (HarperCollins, 2020), and Perspectives in Indian Science and Civilization (Routledge, 2020). He also served as the Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, from 2018-2021.

Manoj Pavithran is an integral yoga practitioner coach and educator residing in Auroville, India since 1995. He has been devoted to following the integral yoga psychology and transformative practices of Sri Aurobindo since 1989. Manoj is a co-founder of the Purnam Centre for Integrality in Auroville, where he offers courses focused on personal transformation and education (purnam.auroville.org & purnamlabs.auroville.org).
Manoj Pavithran is an engineer and holds a post-graduate degree in Product Design from the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, India. His passion for integral yoga led him to join Auroville in 1995, an international city in South India that aims to establish a new form of society based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.
In addition to his coaching and educational work, Manoj has created a film series called Evolution Fast-forward, which showcases Sri Aurobindo’s vision and contributions. This series can be viewed at www.sopanam.org. Furthermore, he has authored a book called “Pilgrims of the Infinite,” which beautifully encapsulates the essence of inner transformation using poetic prose.

Currently, Manoj is collaborating with Sri Aurobindo Society on an animation film about Sri Aurobindo, furthering his mission to promote and share the teachings of this influential spiritual leader.

Dr Madhumita is an Associate Professor in English with Vidyasagar College for Women, Kolkata. She has done her Ph D on Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol, from Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. She has published five books and has presented many papers in conferences in India and abroad.

Ms Lakshmi Jyothi is the founder of the portal auroindian.co.in, which promotes spiritual tourism in India. She aspires to apply her understanding of the vision of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, to the changing times of the contemporary world. On her academic and professional front, Ms Lakshmi Jyothi is from the 1st batch of Masters in Tourism Administration in the country, graduating from Pondicherry University. She has held senior positions in a wide spectrum of tourism segments straddling both public and private sectors. These include working with Ramoji films and the secretariat of Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. Larry Seidlitz is a practitioner and scholar of the spiritual philosophy and yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. He has been actively involved in writing and editing work related to this subject for more than 10 years, as well as guiding students in the subject. His present work focuses on a research project investigating the experience of Integral Yoga in four fields of professional endeavour, in collaboration with the Indian Psychology Institute in Pondicherry. He is the editor of Collaboration, a journal on the Integral Yoga, and does freelance editing of books related to Sri Aurobindo’s and the Mother’s vision. He recently published a book on the Integral Yoga called Transforming Lives. Previously, Larry Seidlitz was an Assistant Professor and researcher in psychiatry and psychology at The University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY, USA.

Jayanti S. Ravi is a multi-talented individual with a diverse range of skills and accomplishments. She is a scientist, civil servant, writer, speaker, educator, performing vocalist, and thinker. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in nuclear physics from the University of Madras, an MPA from Harvard University, and a PhD in e-governance.

Throughout her career, Ravi has made significant contributions in various fields. She has authored books, published in international journals, guided doctoral students, and served as a visiting faculty at Harvard University. Her professional experience includes serving as a DDO in Sabarkantha, a collector in Panchmahals, and as the director of the National Advisory Council with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ravi’s notable achievements also extend to her role as the principal secretary and commissioner of rural development in Gujarat. In this position, she has played a pivotal role in championing the Swachh Bharat Mission for rural sanitation in the state. Her innovative and creative approach to problem-solving has led to transformative outcomes across various sectors.

Currently, Ravi serves as the principal secretary and commissioner of health and family welfare in Gujarat, further contributing her expertise to the betterment of the region.

Jesal Thacker is a dedicated artist and scholar with a background in painting. After graduating from Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, she made the deliberate choice to focus on research and scholarship in the field of art, rather than practicing it herself. Her specific area of interest lies in modern and contemporary Indian art.

In 2005, Jesal established Bodhana, a non-profit organization aimed at fulfilling her vision of researching and publishing books on Indian art. Throughout her career, she has curated several notable exhibitions that have showcased the works of prominent artists. Her first exhibition combined paintings and literary texts by renowned artists such as Shankar Palshikar, Vasudev Gaitonde, Prabhakar Barwe, and Vasant Wankhede. Another significant show curated by Jesal was “Prabhakar Kolte — a walk through his thoughts and art,” which featured portraits, canvases, drawings, archival lectures, and videos by the artist.

From 2012 to 2015, Jesal served as a Curatorial Director for Percept Art, where she curated remarkable exhibitions. These included Prabhakar Barwe’s retrospective, tracing his creative journey from 1955 to 1995, accompanied by the release of the book “Blank Canvas.” She also curated “Rupa Arupa,” an exhibition exploring form and formlessness in Indian traditional art, as well as “Moving Images,” which showcased artworks by Madhav Imaratey alongside screenings of films by and about John Cage and video art by Bill Viola. One of her noteworthy exhibitions was “Dissonance — Transgressed Boundaries between Desire and Fear,” a multi-disciplinary show featuring artists Nezaket Ekici, Prajakta Palav, and Nita Tandon.

Jesal is deeply passionate about researching and questioning history in order to re-contextualize it effectively. She has dedicated herself to studying India’s modernism history with a specific focus on abstraction. Her aim is to provide appropriate scholarship and meticulous archives that contribute to the renewal of art history during this period. Additionally, she has a keen interest in exploring the connections between the abstract movement in India and worldwide, alongside Eastern philosophy and mystical concepts. Jesal is also fascinated by sound, abstraction, cognition, and Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy. As a result, Bodhana is actively involved in programs related to art therapy and contemporary sound art practice.

Having extensive knowledge of the global art scene, as well as the contributions of writers and historians in the field, Jesal has developed her own perspectives and opinions regarding the future of the art world. She is highly regarded by the community of art connoisseurs in India for her interpretation of historical significance and the authenticity of various artworks. Jesal is known for maintaining meticulous archives for each artist involved in Bodhana’s research. With her expertise as a specialist art consultant in Modern and Contemporary Indian art, she is poised to make a significant impact on the field in the coming years.

Mr. Indresh Chauhan is an accomplished professional with more than two decades of experience in the field of digital learning. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work with clients from diverse domains around the world. It comes as no surprise that Indresh found his calling in the learning industry, considering his family’s long lineage of educationists.

As a lifelong learner himself, Indresh emphasizes the importance of introspection, self-improvement, and spiritual evolution. He strongly believes in understanding and implementing the principles of Sri Aurobindo and Mother in every aspect of his life.

Prof. Gurmeet Singh takes over as Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University
Prof. Gurmeet Singh, a renowned academic administrator and an internationally reputed expert in the field of corrosion science and smart materials, has taken over as the Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University.  Prof. Singh began his academic career as Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, in 1976, rising to become a Professor about twenty years ago.  All through, his career has been distinguished by the successful manner in which he has contributed to the administration University of Delhi and other public institutions while maintaining a very high level of research output in terms of quality as well as quantity. He has held the positions of Proctor (2005-2010), Head of the Department(2014-17), Member of the Executive Council (2005-2010), and numerous other administrative positions in University of Delhi besides serving as OSD (Principal), Deshbandhu College (1997-1999).  He had been on high-level committees of the UGC, DBT, CSIR, and several other public institutions.   These assignments have included positions of great sensitivity and responsibility typified by his appointment as Special Observer for the West Bengal state Assembly Elections by the Election Commission of India.
During 2011-2012, Prof. Singh served as a Chair Professor at Lunghwa University, Taipei, where he was specially invited to start collaborative research.  He was a visiting scientist to Hungary and Japan and has been on academic assignments to Germany, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Korea, Thailand and Kenya. He is also currently a Visiting Professor at Japan Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (JAIST), Ishikawa, Japan.
An inspiring teacher and mentor of research, Prof. Singh has guided 14 MPhil and 50 Ph.D. scholars, several of the resulting contributions have received accolades and best paper awards at international/national conferences.   At the time of moving to Pondicherry University, Prof. Singh was personally supervising 9 major R&D projects worth over Rs 7.5 crores.  With about 150 research papers of which a majority are in high-impact international journals, Prof. Gurmeet Singh is also among the most cited of the scientists in his field.
An oft-decorated academician, Prof. Singh has received, among other honors, the Meritorious Contribution Award, the Annapurna Award, Membership of The Royal Society of Chemistry, London, and Fellowship of SAEST and  The Electrochemical Society of India.

Ms. Deepshikha Reddy, a distinguished member of the SACAR faculty, has dedicated her life to the field of education, spanning from schools to universities. Alongside her expertise as a speaker, she is also renowned for her melodious singing of hymns and bhajans at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.

With her extensive experience and intense passion for integral education, music, painting, administration, and her personal journey of developing a deep love for culinary arts through the guidance and grace of the Mother, Ms. Deepshikha Reddy brings a wealth of practical wisdom and insight. Having been fortunate enough to receive direct teachings from the Mother on conscious living and growth, she has been sharing her knowledge and assisting others in their journeys as an esteemed educator and facilitator.

Debaleena Bhattacharjee has been trained in Kathak under the guidance of her Guru,Shrimati Ila Devi Poddar, for the past sixteen years as she began to explore the Jaipur Gharana style. A performing artist, a choreographer and a composer, she has performedin Kathak Recitals and Dance Dramas, before select audience in temple courtyards, dance festivals as well as in theatres across the country. She spent her formative years in the unique environment of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education (S.A.I.C.E). At present,she continues to learn under the guidance of her Guru and take forward the ancient Guru-Shishya Parampara of imparting the knowledge learned from a Guru to others.

Devdip Ganguli is a faculty member at the Sri Aurobindo Centre of Education at Pondicherry.

Dr Chhalamayi Reddy is a highly experienced and dedicated Principal with over 31 years of service at Sri Aurobindo International School in Hyderabad, India. She holds a strong educational background, with multiple degrees including a Doctorate in English Literature from the university of Hyderabad and MA litersature from OHIO University.
She further pursued her passion for academia and earned her Doctorate in English Literature from the Central University of Pondicherry.
As a principal Dr Reddy excels in leadership, education planning, staff development, and effective communication. She has contributed significantly to curriculum development and fosters an inclusive and respectful environment that celebrates diversity. Dr Reddy remains committed to providing quality education and ensuring the holistic development and success of the students at Sri Aurobindo International School. Hyderabad

she has graduated from Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education and completed her Master’s degrees in English Language and Literature from the University of Hyderabad and Literature from Ohio University.
As a Principal, Dr Challamayi has demonstrated exceptional leadership and management skills, successfully directing the school’s operations and ensuring a conducive learning environment for students. She has actively contributed to education planning and administration, overseeing the development and implementation of innovative and student-centric curriculum. Dr Reddy has been instrumental in the professional growth of staff through effective training and development initiatives.

With her strong communication skills, Dr Reddy establishes open and positive relationships with students, parents. And staff. She excels in problem-solving and decision-making, always striving to mitigate challenges and foster continuous improvement. Dr Reddy’s research and analytical abilities have contributed to evidence-based practices and the enhancement of educational policies at the school.

Dr Reddy possesses an inherent ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams, promoting teamwork and creating a harmonious school culture. She is highly attuned to multicultural and global awareness, fostering an inclusive and respectful environment that celebrates diversity.

With an unwavering commitment to providing quality education, Dr Chhalamayi Reddy continues to make significant contributions to Sri Aurobindo International School, ensuring the holistic development and success of its students.

Dr. Beloo Mehra is Senior Academic Mentor at AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry. She is also the editor of Society’s monthly online journal, Renaissance. She has a PhD in Education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, and a Master’s in Economics from Delhi School of Economics. For more than a decade she worked as a professor at Antioch University, USA, before she moved to Pondicherry in 2007 to focus on Sri Aurobindo Studies.

She has deep interest in Sri Aurobindo’s and the Mother’s vision and work on Integral Education, Indian culture, social-cultural evolution, yoga and spirituality. She has worked as educator, researcher, writer and editor for several years at SACAR and Sri Aurobindo Society. She writes regularly in various journals dedicated to Sri Aurobindo’s vision and works. Her recent book titled – Understanding Contemporary India in the Light of Sri Aurobindo, was published by AuroPublications, Sri Aurobindo Society in April 2022.

Dr. V. Ananda Reddy is the Director of  Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research,  Puducherry. Having completed his studies at  Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education,  Puducherry in 1969, he joined Auroville in 1971 and  participated in its early efforts towards Human Unity.  He has travelled widely in India and abroad and  delivered extensive lectures and conducted workshops  on the vision and works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.  He has authored fifteen volumes on Sri Aurobindo’s The Life Divine.  Series of his talks on Savitri and The Synthesis of Yoga are being published  in several volumes. Dr. Reddy has to his credit about 2000 hours of  audio-video recordings on the works and vision of Sri Aurobindo.

Dr. Alok Pandey is a well known expert on the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, particularly in the fields of Yoga, Psychology, Education, and Health. He holds a medical degree with a specialization in Psychiatry and has served in various positions in the Indian Air Force before choosing to retire and live permanently in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.

Dr. Pandey has written numerous articles, books, and delivered numerous talks internationally. He has conducted workshops on various topics as well. His works can be accessed on the website Auromaa.org.

Dr. Anuradha Choudry is presently the Coordinator for the Indian Knowledge Systems Division of the Ministry of Education, at AICTE and a Faculty at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences as well as a Member of the Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness and the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. A multilingual Sanskritist, she works in the areas of Indian/Yoga Psychology, Philosophy and Culture and is a resource person for national and international organisations. A recipient of the Excellent Young Teacher’s Award at IIT Kharagpur in 2019, she has co-edited and co-authored Perspectives on Indian Psychology and Happiness: Indic Perspectives with Dr. Vinayachandra B. K, Director, Indica Yoga, and together they have also conducted two annual month long Yogathons for the International Yoga Day for Indica Yoga.