Sadhviji was raised in an American family in Hollywood, California. She graduated from Stanford University, and was completing her PhD when she left America in 1996 to live permanently at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in the sacred Himalayan town of Rishikesh, India.
She was officially ordained into the order of Sanyas (monastic renunciation) in 2000, by His Holiness Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, one of the most renowned spiritual leaders of India.
Sadhviji is President of the Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation dedicated to bringing education and empowerment to women and children which runs free schools, vocational training programs and empowerment programs. She is also Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to bringing clean water, sanitation and hygiene to the children of the world.
Sadhviji is a renowned speaker who gives keynote addresses at large forums, on a wide variety of topics ranging from conscious business to science and spirituality to sustainable development to the keys of happiness and peace in life. She has also been a featured speaker at the United Nations, Parliament of World Religions and many international conferences and summits. Her talks blend the knowledge and logic of the West with the insights, spirituality and wisdom of the East, and she is renowned as a spiritual bridge between the two cultures.
At Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, where she lives most of the year, she teaches meditation, gives spiritual discourses, provides counseling and oversees myriad charitable and humanitarian projects and activities, including directing the annual International Yoga Festival.
She has a PhD in Psychology and was the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism.
Listen to Beautiful Lectures from Pujya Swamiji and Sadhvi Bhagawatiji
