H.H. Swami Chinmayananda is a world renowned authority of the powerful scriptures of India, especially of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. He was born in 1916 and attained mahasamadhi (passed away) in 1993. He worked relentlessly for about 40 years to bring about spiritual revival in India and abroad. His unique style and logical approach is appealing to all young and old.

His was the life of selfless service to others. He is the author of more than thirty, sublime books, each one a masterpiece, dealing with the philosophical principles behind the religion. He made the mysterious and elusive vedantic principles easily understandable for common people. He is the founder of Chinmaya Mission, through which the work that he initiated and was so dear to him, is carried out in the form of spreading the message of vedanta, overseeing numerous cultural, educational and social service activities. A biography of this great spiritual master, entitled Journey of a Master: Swami Chinmayananda, is available through Chinmaya Publications.

Swami Chinmayananda was selected by the Hindu Host Committee to be the President of Hindu Religion, representing Hinduism worldwide at the Meeting of the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago (during August 28 - September 4, 1993), an honor bestowed on the great Swami Vivekananda a century ago. The Parliament had selected fourteen eminent religious leaders around the world to form a council to guide the world into the next century. At "World Vision 2000," a conference of religious leaders sponsored by Hindu Vishwa Parishad during August 6-8, 1993, H.H. Swami Chinmayanandji was to be honored for his lifetime of selfless service to humanity and his extraordinary achievements in creating a renaissance of spiritual and cultural values in India and abroad. However, on August 3, 1993, Swami Chinmayanandji left his body in SanDiego, California, after suffering a massive heart attack. The equipment with which he accomplished these noble tasks, his body, became too worn out due to the ceaseless Seva of Our Gurudev to humanity for over 42 years. Though he has left his body, his soul lives on through every Chinmaya Mission attendee and his all-pervasive knowledge has, to his great happiness, been passed on to us all.

Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda
Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide
2010 Itinerary

Swami Tejomayananda is fulfilling the vision that Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda charted. As he puts it "I am not in Swamiji's shoes, I am at his feet." He was introduced to Vedanta early in his life. Coming under the benign influence of Pujya Gurudev, H.H.Swami Chinmayananda, he learnt, absorbed and started living the message of the scriptures that his master so vociferously advocated. An accomplished and internationally recognized scholar,  Swami Tejomayananda has been spreading Vedantic knowledge for decades through lectures, seminars and spiritual retreats. He has been the Acharya at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in India and the USA.

Fluent in Sanskirt, Swamiji is the author of original Sanskirt compositions as well. He has written commentaries on scriptural texts, translated Swami Chinmayananda's commentaries into Hindi, and authored a number of books. A key contribution is: Hindu Culture - An Introduction, a text acclaimed for its clear description of the basics of Hinduism and adopted as a text in some American high schools. Swamiji's discourses on the Holy Geeta, Ramayana and Srimad Bhagavatam draw a huge crowd of devotees. Swami Tejomayananda excels in expounding a wide spectrum of Hindu scriptures, from Ramayana to the Bhagvad Gita Srimad Bhagavatam and the Upanishads, the source book of Vedanta. He conducts Jnana yajnas -- lecture series on Vedanta. His discourses, satsang and bhajans reveal his knowledge has depth of wisdom.

As he moves around the world at a bewildering pace His easy manner and devotional rendering of Vedantic texts has drawn many newcomers into the spiritual fold. His melodious voice has devotion. Extremely humane and approachable, he has never closed the doors to anyone who has sought his or advice. His conviction is simple - to fortify, strengthen and actualize the vision of his master - that of restoring the moral and cultural dignity of our ancient heritage. He takes very keen interest in the Vedanta course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya. He is actively participating in the selection of students, on design of course curriculum, imparting knowledge to the students on important texts, interacting with the students by periodical meetings with them and the Acharya.

Br. Prabodh Chaitanya
Acharya of Chinmaya Mission Portland

Brahmachari Prabodh Chaitanya Brahmachari Prabodh Chaitanya is the resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission San Jose, also serves as Acharya for Chinmaya Mission Portland. Prabodhji's spiritual call came when he read Param Pujya Gurudev's commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Not long thereafter, Prabodhji decided to dedicate his life to the study of scriptures and the service of humanity. He served for six years at Chinmaya Mission Orlando in various capacities and subsequently went to India to participate in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Chinmaya Mission. He studied Vedanta for the next two years under the grace and guidance of Pujya Swami Tejomayananda and tutelage of Swami Ishwarananda. Since his appointment as Acharya of Chinmaya Mission San Jose, Prabodhji has been conducting Vedanta discourses in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also conducted Jnana Yagnas, camps, and retreats all over the United States and Canada. With his affability, sense of humor, and passion for the Vedanta, Prabodhji captivates his audiences - young and old alike.

Prabodhji has also participated in interfaith programs, has been interviewed by numerous newspapers, radio stations, and even Ph.D. students of Philosophy from U.S. universities. He has also addressed social issues in a documentary that depicts the power of meditation and the philosophy of the Vedanta in solving them.

Prabodhji is fluent in English, Hindi and Gujarati and proficient in Sanskrit. He enjoys teaching Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita and devotional texts like the Ramayana and Srimad Bhagavatam.