Janani Chaitanya, whose spiritual name is Jananisri, has studied Vedanta since 2007. She has completed a three and a half year intensive Vedanta and Sanskrit course in India with Pujya Swamiji Dayananda, the foremost scholar of Sanskrit and Vedanta alive today. Pujya Swamiji blessed her with the name Jananisri, meaning Divine Mother, at the end of her study in India. Jananisri teaches beginning Sanskrit, Vedanta and Vedic chanting. She also assists her teacher, Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji, editing and publishing teachings of Vedanta. Through her study of Vedanta, Jananisri has embraced the Hindu way of life. She was educated at a convent school and, until her emigration to the U.S. in 1983, regularly attended Church of England services at her local village church. This background gives her a unique insight into interreligious dialogue, born of resolving conflicting issues within oneself. She has used this ability to engage in non-confrontational discussions with those from differing religious backgrounds. In her professional capacity, Jananisri worked at a cognitive behavioral research center, where federally-funded behavioural scientists focused on developing interventions to help families in crisis. Following graduation from law school, she worked as a mediator in a court-mandated program for parents in transition, helping them develop appropriate parenting plans. Currently she works as an advocate for people who have been impacted by crimes committed by youth. She lives her life simply, following her Guru’s words: “one must grow from being a consumer, to being a contributor.”