Secretary-General, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance

Sadhviji was raised in an American family in Hollywood, California and graduated from Stanford University. She was completing her Ph.D. when she left America in 1996 to come and live permanently at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India. She has been living there for 22 years, engaged in spiritual practice and dedicated service. She was officially initiated into the monastic order of Sanyas in the year 2000. Sadhviji is a renowned speaker who gives keynote addresses at large forums, on a wide variety of topics ranging from conscious business to science and spirituality to sustainable development to the keys of happiness and peace in life to all aspects of yoga. 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. Her TEDx talk on her journey from “Hollywood to the Holy Woods” has been watched by over 160,000 people and the documentary on her life has been watched online by nearly a quarter of a million people. She has spoken at several United Nations events, including with the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, and at many high-level international conferences and summits. 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. Sadhviji also serves on: United Nations Faith Advisory Council on Religion as Vice Chair. The Steering Committee for Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), an international body comprising the governments of twelve countries (including United States, UK, and Germany), the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Union, and the world's renowned faith based organizations. The Steering Committee for the World Bank-United Nations campaign with international faith based organizations of the "Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty." Sadhviji has a Ph.D in Psychology and was the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. In addition, she contributes regularly Huffington Post, Dainik Jagran, Speaking Tree/Times of India, Thrive Global, The Pioneer, and other renowned publications. Biography as at 07.08.19