Seema Joshi
Seema is a long-time primary teacher with multifaceted I.B. background that includes heading the primary division of a large K-12 school in Ahmedabad. In that same city, she was also the founding principal of a primary school, which she developed around the principles and practices of Education for Life. She holds a university degree in public administration. She joined Ananda in Ahmedabad in 2016, also as a founder, but has recently moved with her family to Pune, where she serves on the Education for Life Programme team.

(Acharya) Dharana Brown
Dharana plays many roles on the staff of Ananda Meditation Retreat, and has assisted in many family programmes. He had a short aerospace career in Silicon Valley, California. He holds degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics. Since joining Ananda in 1990, Dharana has lived in quite a few of its communities in California, Italy, and India (both Gurgaon and Pune), serving in Ananda’s East West Bookshop, starting a desktop publishing department in Italy, re-wiring Indian houses to avoid electrical fires, and teaching people how to meditate.

Baraquiel (Bara) Castelli
Bara has often served in Ananda children’s programmes, including directing and performing in dramatic presentations. He shares his love of music by serving as Ananda Pune’s choir leader; providing chanting and harmonium training; and facilitating classes on the impact of music in uplifting consciousness.

He is a frequent presenter of satsangs and meditation courses. Originally from Uruguay but partly raised in Canada, Bara joined Ananda in Pune in 2010.
Bara and Shamini (below) are husband and wife, and have often done music and art programmes together in Ananda India centres.

Shamini Naidu Castelli
An artist and Ananda Yoga teacher, Shamini has often led art activities in Ananda programmes for children as well as adults. Drawing on her university degree in graphic design and “transformative artist” certificate from the Awakening Arts Academy in Ananda Assisi, she shares tools to increase creativity in daily life. Of Malaysian and Indian descent, Shamini lived in Dubai before joining Ananda in 2012.

(Brahmacharini) Prisha Kirby
For many summers in her native USA, Prisha was a summer camper and camp counsellor before embarking on a varied career as a university instructor in sociology; corporate trainer; programme evaluator; and instructional designer; as well as much writing and editing. She holds a master’s degree in sociology and a doctorate in instructional design. She joined Ananda in America in 2002 but since 2005 has lived in its Indian communities (Gurgaon, Ananda Meditation Retreat, and Pune). She has long been an Ananda choir member, and has directed several plays by P. G. Wodehouse, Swami Kriyananda’s favourite humourist.