Facilitator Profiles.
Workshops are facilitated by those in various stages of study & practice. We are, or have been engineers, farmers, architects, housewives, scientists, social activists, corporate honchos, monks, educationists and students; rich, middle-class and poor; 'well-read' and not so much; from villages, towns and cities across India; from small colleges to top notch institutes.
We are common in that we are Human & have an honest quest for the truth and a meaningful & useful life. We feel this 'knowledge' is the fundamental need of the human and the 'long-term' solution to humanities problems.
'Workshops' are not a source for our livelihood. We are engaged in various activities for our material needs. And common activities for our behavioral, intellectual and existential fulfillment.
Those engaged seriously with this philosophy now number in the few hundreds. Not everyone who studies also conducts workshops or shivirs.
Some of us have come together at various locations across India to form dedicated 'centres' for the study, practice and dissemination of this philosophy. Browse through our locations.
The list below is only representative. We haven't given names and pictures below. This is because the 'teaching' is of importance. That said, the 'teaching' resides in the 'teacher'. Words are but a medium.
A Mining Engineer turned Ayurveda practitioner from Bengal
SB has spent the last 20 yrs in full time study and practice of Madhyasth Darshan (MD). A mining engineer by training, he was looking for someone who 'knew it all'. He is now an organic farmer and an ayurveda practitioner with interests in astrology. Originally from Bengal, SB lives with his wife and daughter in Amarkantak, MP.
Engineers, social activists and now philosophers
After spending many years working in the social development area, ST & NT realized that material growth can only take a person that far. There are other ills. They have been studying and practising MD since 18 yrs. An Electrical Engineer from Nagpur, ST now has a farm and a dairy. This couple lives in a village near Raipur with their son.
Left IIT, publisher and now farmer
He came in touch with MD during his college days at IIT Delhi. Since then, AKG has been pursuing the study of MD and is also our web-master. Among other things, AKG also does farming and recently moved to Bemetra, CG from Dehradun. AKG has a wife and two daughters.
Watershed experts from Pune
A couple, YS and SS quit their engineering profession to pursue social work in the watershed area with an NGO called Sahjeevan. Known for their honesty and integrity, they found money in the villages causes more problems than solutions. They have been dedicated to the study and practice of MD and now live in Achoti village near Raipur (CG) where they help run the center for studies. They are also active in the Maharashtra.
MNC Professionals from Pune & Mysore
A couple of years in the IT world, and SN was left gasping for answers to existential questions and a more meaningful life. He spent a year traveling and volunteering for Asha for Education in a perplexed state. The initial skepticism towards MD was replaced with clarity & assurance. GS was in Unilever research. They has been in full time study and practice since 6 yrs and live in Amarkantak, MP with their daughter.
Farmers Movement Leader from UP
A PhD in Agriculture from IIT Delhi, Farmers movement leader (Tikait), Naturopathy practitioner, MD student, Social Activist... RSA wears many hats. A bachelor, RSA is well known in NGO circles and with various well-meaning thinkers and upright leaders & journalists of the country. RSA established the first center for Jeevan Vidya shivirs in Bijnor back in 1992.
IIT Kanpur to the Forest
Since his days at IIT Kanpur, he was seeking answers to the meaning of life which led him to places like Rishikesh. Attending the Jeevan Vidya workshop at IIT tickled his curiosity and reading one of the MD books had him floored. RM now does part-time JEE coaching and spends the rest of the time in Amarkantak.
Oil MNC CXO from Gujarat
A former head of commercial at an Oil MNC, he was seeking a model for wisdom based living. A colleague suggested MD. SP now spends time envisioning and setting up the first University based on MD and recently moved to Raipur from Surat with his family. He has a BTech and MTech from IIT Delhi.
Farming sisters from Pune
Children of a CA and an interesting sister pair, they are in their twenties and set up an organic farm near Pune. A chance mention by a visitor brought them to their first workshop and since then they have been spending time in study and practice. The sisters feel MD completes the picture of reality and purpose, of which farming seems now a small part.
Mechanical Engg Prof from Patna
He came in touch with MD during his days at IIT Kanpur. He then went on to volunteer at the Kanpur study center and spent time tending to cows and supplying milk back at IIT on a bicycle. KS now has a PhD from IIT and teaches at a University near Delhi where he lives with family. He is a common face in the Human values program
Telecom Engineer from Rajasthan & Architect wife
Another one from the IIT list, he worked at Reliance Communications for a couple of years before quitting and moving to the value education program. He now lives in Achoti village near Raipur with his architect wife. They are learning new and interesting ways of righteous livelihood and also conduct workshops.
Farmer youth
Hailing from a small village in Chattisgarh, Anil's school teacher did the 1 one year MD study program and told him about it. Anil did the workshop when we has 18 and is now engaged in full time study and practice at the Raipur study center.
A Sociologist & Teacher couple from Canada
MS comes from very modest beginnings in India. He worked his way through childhood and went on to get a Masters Degree. He took to Madhyasth Darshan immediately on coming in touch with it. He spent some time at Somaiya institutes in Mumbai on value education. He met NT during a workshop and they are now happily married with 2 children. They live in Alberta, Canada, where they have gone on to setup a new center for Jeevan Vidya that has ample room for 40 people, natural farming and lots of forest!