About

A life dedicated to spirituality & service

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji

Sadhviji is a renowned spiritual leader and motivational speaker, based in Rishikesh, India. She’s the author of newly released #1 bestselling memoir, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.   Originally from Los Angeles, a graduate of Stanford University, and a PhD in psychology, Sadhviji has lived on the banks of the sacred Ganga river, in the lap of the Himalayas for more than 25 years engaged in spiritual service, wisdom teaching, sacred action, and deep spiritual practice.

Sadhviji is the Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; President of Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation that runs free schools, vocational training programs, and empowerment programs; and Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh—which has been covered in prestigious international publications and has been addressed by both the Prime Minister and Vice President of India.

She is a Co-President of Religions for Peace, the premier international interfaith organization uniting the world’s religious leaders for peace.  She serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and on the steering committees of the International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) and the Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty, a campaign by the United Nations and World Bank.

Sadhviji gives keynote addresses at large international fora, including at the United Nations with the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN as well as at innumerable high-level international conferences and summits.  She shares stages and platforms with luminaries including HH the Dalai Lama,  Prince Charles, heads of State of India, UK and other countries as well as the world’s most renowned spiritual leaders. 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.

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is a true master of the spiritual realm, a beacon of wisdom and inspiration for all those seeking to elevate their consciousness and transform their lives. Her teachings are a powerful blend of ancient wisdom and modern insights, grounded in deep personal experience and a profound understanding of the human condition. She possesses a unique ability to distill complex spiritual concepts into simple, practical tools that can be easily applied to our daily lives, making them accessible to all. Her teachings are not only about gaining knowledge but about actually experiencing spiritual growth. Her approach is inclusive and non-dogmatic, and she encourages individuals to forge their own unique paths to enlightenment while providing them with the guidance, support and inspiration they need to succeed. Her teachings are not limited to the mind, but they touch the soul. She is a great spiritual teacher, one who not only teaches but also transforms.

She has been featured in CNN, NY Times, Discovery Channel, Washington Post, Associated Press, Travel Channel, BBC, NPR, Times of India, Dainik Jagran and many other renowned news networks.

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Sadhviji has received numerous national and international awards and recognition for her work with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as well as women’s upliftment and empowerment including from the Cabinet Minister of Water Resources, Government of India as well as from the Ambassador of the United States to India. She was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by U.S. President Joe Biden for her lifelong commitment to volunteer service.

She was also the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism.

She oversees a variety of humanitarian projects, teaches meditation, lectures, writes, counsels individuals and families and serves as a unique female voice of spiritual leadership throughout India and the world.

Short Bio (Approx. 250 words)

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, known as Sadhviji, is a Vedic monk, spiritual teacher, and bestselling author who has spent nearly 30 years living and teaching in the Himalayas. Raised in Hollywood and a graduate of Stanford University with a Ph.D. in psychology, she left behind a life marked by trauma and outward success to find profound healing on the banks of the sacred Ganga River in Rishikesh, India.

Today, she serves as the International Director of Parmarth Niketan (one of India’s largest spiritual institutions), Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, and President of the Divine Shakti Foundation, where she leads major initiatives in sustainability, women’s empowerment, and interfaith collaboration.

Sadhviji is one of the leading voices in spiritual transformation, guiding seekers around the world to quiet the mind, release the past, reconnect with their true nature, and live in sacred alignment. Her teachings bridge ancient Vedic wisdom with modern psychology, offering a path that is emotionally accessible, intellectually grounded, and globally relevant.

She is the author of Hollywood to the Himalayas and Come Home to Yourself, a recipient of President Biden’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Service. She has spoken at TED, the United Nations, COP, Interfaith G20, the Parliament of World Religions and global interfaith events supported by institutions such as the World Bank. She has shared the stage with leaders such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall, King Charles III, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for global compassion, spiritual unity, and sacred action. She also serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and leads several humanitarian and interfaith initiatives.

Short Bio (Approx. 150 words)

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, known as Sadhviji, is a Vedic monk, spiritual teacher, and bestselling author who has lived in the Himalayas for nearly three decades. Raised in Hollywood and a graduate of Stanford University with a PhD in psychology, she left behind a life of outward success to embrace a path of spiritual transformation and service.

Her work spans humanitarian aid, interfaith dialogue, and spiritual teaching, guiding people to live with purpose, presence, and inner alignment. She is the International Director of Parmarth Niketan, Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, and a speaker at global forums including TED and the United Nations.

She is also the author of Hollywood to the Himalayas and Come Home to Yourself, and serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion.

www.sadhviji.org www.instagram.com/sadhviji www.youtube.com/@Sadhviji

Short Bio (Approx. 50 words)

Sadhviji is a Vedic monk, Stanford-educated psychologist, and global spiritual leader raised in Hollywood and transformed by nearly 30 years in the Himalayas, India. Her teachings help people quiet the mind, heal the heart, and live in deep alignment with their true Self.

 www.sadhviji.org www.instagram.com/sadhviji www.youtube.com/@Sadhviji

Short Bio (Approx. 50 words)

Sadhviji is a Vedic monk who has lived in the Himalayas for 29 years where she leads a variety of humanitarian projects. A Stanford grad with a psychology PhD, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by President Biden and is speaker at global forums including TED and the United Nations.

www.sadhviji.org www.instagram.com/sadhviji www.youtube.com/@Sadhviji

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