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 is a renowned spiritual leader, author 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. She is the Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, dedicated to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; President of Divine Shakti Foundation which runs free schools, vocational training programs, and empowerment programs for women and children; Co-President of Religions for Peace; and Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival —which has been covered in Time, CNN, the New York Times and other prestigious publications and has been addressed by both the Prime Minister and Vice President of India. She also serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and the International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) as well as the Steering Committee for the Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty, a campaign by the United Nations and World Bank. She was 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 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Originally from Los Angeles and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji was ordained into the sacred order of Sanyas by her guru HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and has lived at Parmarth Niketan Ashram for the past 26 years, where she leads spiritual discourses, satsang and meditation, oversees myriad humanitarian programs and serves as a unique female voice of spiritual leadership throughout India and the world.

Short Bio (Approx. 150 words)

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, PhD is a spiritual leader, motivational speaker, author and social activist, based at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, Himalayas, India. She is President of Divine Shakti Foundation, bringing education and empowerment to women and children. She is Secretary-General of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, the first alliance of religious leaders for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival. She has received numerous awards for her humanitarian work including the Lifetime Achievement Award by U.S. President Joe Biden. She is also the author of #1 bestselling memoir, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation. Originally from Los Angeles, and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji has lived at Parmarth Niketan for more than 26 years, where she gives spiritual discourses, satsang and meditation, leads myriad humanitarian programs and serves as a unique female voice of spiritual leadership throughout India and the world.

Short Bio (Approx. 60 words)

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, PhD is a spiritual leader, motivational speaker and social activist, based in Rishikesh, India. She is the Secretary-General of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, President of Divine Shakti Foundation, Co-President of Religions for Peace, Director of the International Yoga Festival as well as author of #1 bestselling memoir, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.

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