Morning Session Speakers

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev born Mysore, 3 September 1957, often referred to as simply Sadhguru is an Indian yogi, mystic and author. He founded the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization which offers Yoga programs around the world and is involved in social outreach, education and environmental initiatives. His books have appeared in The New York Times Best Seller list in multiple categories like “Health, Religion, Spirituality and Faith”.

We have confirmed Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as a speaker at JAINA Convention 2019! We are grateful to have Tulsi join us with her broad range of real-world experience, a storehouse of personal strength, and tested leadership serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gaur Gopal Das has accepted our invitation to speak at JAINA 2019. A personal coach, monk, lifestyle and motivational strategist, sharing deeper spiritual insights with the world. He speaks on various topics in the area of self-development like Conscious Leadership for a gracious future, The Happiness Equation, and Coping with stress. In this video, he talks about how happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Nipun Mehta is the founder of ServiceSpace, an incubator of projects that works at the intersection of volunteerism, technology and gift-economy. What started as an experiment with four friends in the Silicon Valley has now grown to a global ecosystem of over 500,000 members that has delivered millions of dollars in service for free. Nipun has received many awards, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service, Wavy Gravy’s Humanitarian award, and Dalai Lama’s Unsung Hero of Compassion.

Philip Wollen is a former Vice-President of Citibank and was also General Manager at Citicorp. Wollen became a vegan[1] following his departure from Citibank and is a prominent member of the animal rights movement. He conducts intervention programs to rescue abused animals and funds outreach programs that promote animal welfare and abstinence.[2] At age 34, Australian Business Magazine named him in the “Brightest and Best” top 40 headhunted executives in Australia.[2] In 2005 he received the Medal of the Order of Australia [3] and in 2007 he won the Australian of the Year (Victoria) award.[3][4] In 2012 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Oxford Centre of Animal Ethics, UK. In 2014 he received the University of Adelaide Distinguished Alumni Award. He also received the award “Vegan of the Year 2014”. Wollen went to school at the Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, Bangalore. He delivered The General Thimayya Memorial Lecture Bangalore, India in 2008.

Ingrid Newkirk is the president and founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the author of thirteen books about animals, with her latest, AnimalKind, due out from Simon and Schuster in January.
She was named Washingtonian of the Year, is the subject of an HBO special called “I am an Animal,” and has been featured for her work in The New Yorker, Time, People, The Times of India, Forbes, the Financial Times, and many other publications.
She believes the three most important things in life are: to be kind, to be kind, and to be kind.

Param Pujya Jainacharya Vijay Ratnasundersuri Maharaj Saheb needs no introduction. The name itself is embedded with the meaning “victory diamond and beauty of humanity and gracefulness.” He is a great Jain saint in India and although he doesn’t travel abroad, his ideas and followers have no geographical boundaries.

Having completed 52 year of Sayyam Jeevan ( Diksha) Acharya maharaj is endowed with the rarest blessing of goddess Saraswati and to his credit, he has written 340 books in his mother tongue, Gujarati. He has touched all sections of the society and inspired society to get rid of all evils that are detrimental for its happiness.

He has been conferred with “PADMA BHUSHAN “by the Honorable President of India Shri Pranab Mukhrejee in 2017.

Jain Acharya has also been awarded the “GOLDEN BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS” award. Many of his books have been translated in various languages such as English, Hindi, Marathi, Sindhi, Urdu, French etc. Some of his books have also been translated to “Braille” so that blind people can gain access to his words of wisdom. Through his literary and media discourses, his teachings have been beneficial to many.

According to him, a happy man is one who has few needs and who doesn’t crave much. Being  a  Jain  saint,  his  holiness  follows  very strict rules  and  regulations. After initiation to monk hood,  “Diksha” in 1967, Jain Archarya travels bare foot, does not eat and drink even water between sunset and sunrise and does not use of any form of electrical appliances for personal use. Wherever possible during his journey from one location to another, he addresses the local people in the form of a discourse which can bring about positive change and happiness.  Thus, he  is  not  only  an  author  and  lecturer  but  an exemplary monk showing us a the true path to spirituality.

P.Acharya Yashovijayji Maharaj is fondly known as “Bhakti Yogacharya,” the Acharya in the rich Tapagachhiya Shraman tradition. He is the part of the P.Bapaji Maharaj Samuday (group). He is a disciple in the succession of P.Acharya Siddhisurishwarji Maharaj, P.Acharya Bhadrasurishwarji Maharaj and P.Aumkarsurishwarji Maharaj, P.Bhadrankarsuri Maharaj .

P.Acharya Yashovijayji Maharaj has focused his spiritual journey on “Jain Dhyan Prakriya” and is trying to revive the Jain Meditation practice which has not been getting much attention among traditional practitioners and Jain monks. He is one of the five Acharyas who was assigned the task of the revival of Jain Dhyan Sadhana practice by Tapagachhiya Shramnopasak Sangh. The purpose was to bring it to the lay practitioners and monks in order to enhance their spiritual growth and improve overall practice goals and rewards.

P.Acharya Yashovijayji Maharaj has published several books on JAIN YOGA practice and has created an unique system of Dhyan and Antar Yatra (Inner Journey). He conducts several “shibirs” (Retreats) for meditation and self-realization. These events are very popular and hundreds of Jains of all ages and stripes attend them with great enthusiasm.

He also works to revive many temples and Upashrayas in rural area where Jain population has moved out. He selects such places for his monsoon stay which in turn helps local economy and communities as well. Additionally, the community’s understanding of Jain faith and its benefits improves.

Our request to provide an address for JAINA attendees was accepted for the benefit of all Jains in North America which shows his big heart and his  desire to help all Jains in their spiritual journey. We truly appreciate his vision for each Jains’ spiritual growth despite of the limitations faced by him from his vows.

We thank him sincerely on behalf of Jains of North America and JAINA.

H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji’s motto in life is, “In the Service of God and humanity.”
Selflessly dedicated to the welfare of all, He leads, directs and inspires numerous, wide-scale service
initiatives. He has master’s degrees in Sanskrit and Philosophy as well as fluency in many languages.
Pujya Swamiji is President and Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, India, one of the
largest interfaith, spiritual institutions in India. He has also increased several-fold the humanitarian
activities undertaken by Parmarth Niketan (www.parmarth.org)
He is the Co-Founder of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), the world’s first-ever international
interfaith initiative which brings together the world’s faiths as allies in ensuring every child around the
world has access to safe, life-giving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). (www.washalliance.org;
http://www.facebook.com/washalliance)
Pujya Swamiji is the recipient of innumerable awards, including the World Peace Ambassador Award,
Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian award, Hindu of the Year Award, Prominent Personality Award, by
Lions’ Club, Best Citizens of India Award, the Uttaranchal Ratan Award and many more.

Sadhviji was raised in an American family in Hollywood, California and graduated from Stanford
University. She was completing her Ph.D. when she left America in 1996 to live at Parmarth Niketan in
Rishikesh, India. She has been living there for 22 years, engaged in spiritual practice and service.
She was officially initiated into the order of Sanyas (monastic renunciation) in the year 2000, by His
Holiness Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji. At Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh she gives daily spiritual
discourses and satsang, teaches meditation, provides counseling and oversees myriad charitable and
humanitarian projects and activities. Sadhviji serves as a 1) Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith
WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation & hygiene
(WASH) 2) President of Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation which runs free schools, vocational
training programs and empowerment programs and 3) Director of the world-famous International Yoga
Festival at Parmarth.