This is Part 4 of our 4-part Back to School Series on Live Vedanta. In this special episode, Akshaya sits down with Vivekji to answer real questions from both students and parents about navigating the transition to college life. From letting go with love as children leave for university, to choosing the right opportunities on campus, to staying true to one’s values amidst peer pressure - this conversation is filled with practical guidance and grounded wisdom. Vivekji also addresses questions around identity, change, navigating dating and keeping up a steady spiritual practice while adapting to new routines.

Vivekji has spent nearly two decades guiding people on how to live with clarity, connection, and calm. From daily Meaningful Mornings sessions to speaking at several global organizations and interacting with young adults, his message is simple: Inspire-Love-Be.

His dynamic talks reach audiences through a multiplicity of mediums. Live Vedanta, his podcast of over 250 episodes, has reached seekers in 157 countries with over 240,000 downloads since its introduction in 2018. Similarly, his talks on the Chinmaya Mission Niagara YouTube channel, with over 200,000 views, deliver insights on practical self-development for all demographics. Under Shri Vivek’s inclusive leadership, Chinmaya Mission Niagara has contributed more than $1 million USD to diverse local, regional, and global philanthropy efforts since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020.

Edited by Akshaya Radhakrishnan.
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This is Part 3 of our four-part back-to-school series on Live Vedanta. In this episode, recent college graduate Raj Sureka engages in a heartfelt conversation with Shashiji, a longtime Chinmaya Mission sevika and Vedanta teacher. They explore how students can practically incorporate Vedantik principles into everyday academic life—from navigating social and extracurricular commitments to cultivating stillness and discipline amidst chaos. The discussion is filled with personal stories, grounded reflections, and actionable wisdom for young seekers striving to live with purpose and inner balance.

Shri Shashikala Dwarkanath, the person behind Chinmaya Mission Boston, one of New England’s largest spiritual centers, has played a vital role in the lives of thousands of people in the area. She was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 by INDIA New England News, one of the nation’s largest print, online and video magazines covering the Indian and South Asian community.

She is an accomplished doctor, an excellent mother, a very supporting spouse, a community leader and more intensely seeking the very purpose of life. She is one of the most complete human beings in our community, inspiring hundreds and thousands of young and grown up adults with her calming presence. She currently leads our Devis in our Chinmaya Niagara CommUnity.

Edited by Arul Mehta.
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This is Part 2 of our back-to-school series on Live Vedanta. For many, the transition to college can bring more freedoms, a unique opportunity to find one’s passions and to explore one’s career interest, but it can also be a challenging time for many. Here Juhi Kotwani will chat with Brni. Kritikaji, who shares her guidance on how to navigate and respond to the challenges of failure from the lens of Vedanta.

Brahmacharini Kritika Chaitanya was born in Toronto, Canada. After studying International Development Studies and Philosophy at the University of Toronto and engaging in much social work and volunteerism, she joined the 2nd Residential Vedanta Course at Chinmaya Mission Trinidad and Tobago Ashram in 2013. After a year and a half of studying the highest knowledge and Sanskrit under the guidance of Pujya Swami Prakashanandaji, she has committed herself to serving Chinmaya Mission. She is currently posted in Trinidad, conducting public satsangas and classes for adults, seniors and young females, and assisting with Ashram activities and enterprises.

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Edited by Raj Sureka.
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