Brahmacharini Shubhani Chaitanya draws inspiration from Swami Chinmayananda’s life and teachings. Born in Manila, raised in New York, and rooted in Bharat, she has evolved through Chinmaya Mission as a Bala Vihar child, dynamic CHYK member, and now serves in Chinmaya Mission New York.
Having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Trade and Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, she worked in the fashion industry for seven years. Taking a sabbatical to seek her true calling, she joined YEP – the Youth Empowerment Program, engaging in book writing, camps, and teaching. She also assisted in writing the script of Swami Chinmayananda’s biopic, On a Quest, later pursuing her own journey at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai.
In 2016, she completed the Vedanta course, becoming Brahmacharini Shubhani Chaitanya. Sharing the Science of Happiness that is Vedanta, she brings natural wisdom and compassion to her classes on Bhagavad Geeta, Upanishads, Panchadashi, and other Vedantic treatises.
Shubhaniji can be reached at shubhani@chinmayamission.org.
Brahmachari Hari Chaitanya hails from Dallas, Texas, and has been closely associated with CMDFW since his early years at Chinmaya Saaket. After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, he actively engaged with CHYK Dallas.
In 2013, Br. Hari participated in the inaugural Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) America, led by Pujya Swami Sarveshanandaji. Following that, he played an instrumental role on the CHYK West Steering Committee, overseeing Junior CHYK initiatives. As a CHYK, Br. Hari dedicated six years to teaching Balavihar classes at Chinmaya Saaket.
Having successfully completed the 17th Residential Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai under the guidance of Pujya Swami Bodhatmanandaji, Br. Hari Chaitanya was assigned to serve at CMDFW.
Hariji can be reached at br.harichaitanya@gmail.com
Brahmachari Soham Chaitanya was born in a spiritual family devoted to Chinmaya Mission. The opportunity to listen to satsangs from various Swamins and Brahmacharins introduced him to spirituality from a very young age. An engineer by background, Soham ji worked as a Research Engineer in Colorado after graduating with a Masters degree from the University of California Berkeley.
Listening to the Bhagavad Gita discourses by Poojya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda ji and Ramayana discourses by Poojya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda ji brought him to Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai. He completed the 17th Vedanta Course under the guidance of Poojya Swami Swaroopananda ji and under the tutelage of Poojya Swami Bodhatmananda ji.
Prior to joining Sandeepany in 2017, Soham ji served at Chinmaya Mission centers in San Jose, CA and Los Angeles, CA for 5 years, facilitating youth and adult study groups. Soham ji loves playing the harmonium, singing bhajans and dwelling on the scriptures which talk about the nature of happiness.
Sohamji can be reached at soham@chinmayamission.org
CHYK West | Youth wing of Chinmaya Mission centers of North America 