• Swami Sarveshananda
• Swamiji's Itinerary
• Have you met Swamiji?
• Tanjore Painting
• Classes by Swamiji
• Acharya P. B. Ghate
• Acharya Asha Ghate

Swami Sarveshananda

Formerly known as Bramhachari Uddhav Chaitanya, our acharya Swami Sarveshananda was bestowed Sanyasa Diksha (order of renunciation) by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri (March 03, 2011).

Inspired by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Sarveshananda joined the Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai in 1993. After completing the course in 1995, he was initiated as a Brahmachari and posted as the Resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission, Vijayawada where he served until June, 2002. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission in Dallas, Texas, by Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda.

Swami Sarveshananda is also the National Director of Chinmaya Mission Yuva Kendra (CHYK) West, the youth wing of Chinmaya Mission West. CHYK West manages CHYK chapters all across North America including West Indies. CHYK West aims to increase spiritual awareness among youth and young adults (18 - 35 years) so that they live life purposefully - with a clear and noble personal vision and an attitude of service to the community. Swami Sarveshananda was himself a CHYK while growing up in India, and received direct guidance from Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda. A dynamic and engaging speaker, Swami Sarveshananda works tirelessly to spread the wisdom of Vedanta through retreats, workshops, camps and innovative youth programs that inspire young people. Swami Sarveshananda has touched many lives through his service, dedication and loving presence. He is popular with children and youth because of his ability to connect with young minds.

Swami Sarveshananda's weekly schedule includes conducting satsangs, study groups, Devi groups, and Bala Vihar sessions. Additionally, Swami Sarveshananda holds other events at the mission such as training sessions, annual camps, picnics, walkathons, and the popular lock-ins for children. He is also frequently invited by Chinmaya Mission centers all around the country to conduct Jnana yajnas and annual camps. In spite of a demanding schedule, Swami Sarveshananda is never too busy to bring cheer to little child, guide a restless teenager or joke with volunteers to light up their day. Swami Sarveshananda handles his busy workload with a smile. His calm demeanor and easy-going nature puts everyone at ease. He advises, "Walking the spiritual path is not easy, but it's worth it. An ounce of effort makes a world of difference to us and the world around us."

For more on Swami Sarveshananda, read his interview with Brahmacharini Suniti Chaitanya.

Contact Information
Phone: 972-267-6198
Email:  Swami Sarveshananda (sw.sarveshananda@gmail.com)
Facebook: Swami Sarveshananda (https://www.facebook.com/sw.sarveshananda)
Twitter: Swami Sarveshananda (http://www.twitter.com/swsarveshananda)

Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (West) Facebook

Acharya Prabhakar B. Ghate

Acharya Prabhakar B. Ghate (PBG) hails from Dharwad in the state of Karnataka. PBG came to the US in 1958 as a Fulbright Scholar after graduating from Karnataka University with high honors. After completing his Ph.D. in 1962, he joined Cornell University, where he pursued a career in research and teaching until the summer of 1966. In September of 1996, PBG moved to the Dallas area to start his long and distinguished career with Texas Instruments where he worked until January 1995, retiring as a Texas Instruments (TI) Fellow and Worldwide Manager of Reliability in the Semiconductor Division.

When PBG first came here there were hardly fifty to sixty people of Indian origin, including children, in the area. India Association of North Texas (IANT) was in its infancy. PBG served as a President of IANT in 1970. He delivered presentations on sanatana dharma at several area churches and schools, as well as UT Southwestern Medical School. For a number of years, PBG was a member of the Inter-faith group and offered peace prayers during Thanksgiving. He is a founding member of the Dallas Fort Worth Hindu Temple Society and also served as one of the trustee.

PBG has a long association with Chinmaya Mission starting in 1982 when he had the opportunity to listen to Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s discourses at the camp in Houston. After that he used to attend Gurudev’s discourses regularly whenever he came to Houston. In 1991, he attended Gurudev's discourses on the Bhagavad Gita in Piercy, California, as well as his seventy-fifth birthday tulabhar celebration, in Mumbai, India.

PBG met Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda in 1989, when DFW Hindu temple hosted his discourses on Navadha Bhakti. Since then PBG has attended several camps and courses conducted by Guruji, culminating with the Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai from 2005 - 2007. During this time PBG also passed, with distinction, the Kovid examination in Sanskrit conducted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

PBG has been involved with Chinmaya Saaket since the purchase of the land in 1998, the bhumi puja, vastu puja and the installation and consecration of the deities in the Ram Mandir in 2000. He has currently been assigned by Guruji as an acharya at CMDFW.

Acharya Asha Ghate

Acharya Asha Ghate was born and brought up in Hyderabad. After completing after master’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, she got married to Dr. P.B. Ghate, and arrived in Ithaca, NY in Nov. 1964. The Ghates have made Richardson, TX their home from Sept. 1966, since Dr. Ghate joined Texas Instruments. Ashaji also has a Master’s degree in Library Science from North Texas State University (NTSU), and worked at the Richardson Public Library for a brief period. For more than a decade, she worked as a Leisure Travel Consultant and traveled all around the world.

Ashaji volunteered as a Social Events Coordinator of India Assoc. of North Texas (IANT) for several events in the late 60’s. She was an active member of the DFW Maharashtra Mandal from its inception and served at the President in 1993-1994.  Ashaji has been a Founding Member of the Dallas/ Fort Worth Hindu Temple (DFWHTS), and has been active in organizing several pujas and discourses. 

Ashaji also has a long association with Chinmaya Mission starting in 1982, when she heard Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayanandaji’s discourses in Houston. In the summer of 1991, she attended Pujya Gurudev’s discourses on Shrimad Bhagvad Gita at Piercy, California. In Dec. 1991, she attended Pujya Gurudev’s 75th Birthday Suvarna Tulabhar Celebration in Mumbai.

In 1989, when the DFW Temple hosted Pujya Guruji’s discourses on Navadha Bhakti, Ashaji met Swami Tejomayanandaji. Thereafter, she attended several camps and courses conducted by Pujya Guruji in India and the US. 

When CMDFW was officially formed in 1994, Pujya Guruji appointed Ashaji as the Vice President. This was followed by her appointment as the President of CMDFW in 1997, in which position she served until 2005. With the enthusiastic cooperation of several devotees and generous donors, in 1998 CMDFW purchased the land on Davenport Road, Dallas and construction was started at the Saaket center. The building was inaugurated on December 26, 1999 by Swami Tejomayanandaji. On January 1, 2000, Pujya Guruji also performed the murthi sthapana at Saaket Temple.

From Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2007, Ashaji attended the 13th Vedanta Course taught by Swami Tejomayanandaji as the main Acharya at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai. Besides basic scriptural texts, students were taught Upanishads, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita,Shrimad Bhagavatam, Valmiki Ramayana, Tulsi Ramayana and Sanskrit. Ashaji passed the Madhyama Examination in Sanskrit with distinction conducted by Bharatitaya Vidya Bhavan. Currently, she is assigned as an Acharya at the CMDFW Center.