ISKCON Ministry of Education

Balimardana Das
North America (West Coast)

Balimardana Das joined ISKCON in 1997 in New Delhi, India, where He was the president of ISKCON Youth Forum (IYF). He migrated to USA in 2000 for his software engagement and is currently a senior manager in a largest software company, SAP America Inc in Silicon Valley. Balimardana Das has been serving in the ISKCON of Silicon Valley since 2000 in different capacity. He was initiated by H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami in 2003 in Seattle. He is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors at ISKCON Silicon Valley. He has recently opened a Jagannath Temple and Bhaktivedanta Mandap in NH201 of Western Odisha, formerly known as Utkal. Balimardana Das also managed the Ratha Yatra festival at San Francisco Golden Gate park with the help of the Berkeley temple president. He lives with his wife, Ananda Vrindavan Devi Dasi and 2 children, Balaram & Abhay. Both kids are raised by their mom in homeschooling environment.

Tarini Radha Devi Dasi
India (South)

Tarini Radha Devi was born in Chennai, India, and graduated in English from Stella Maris College. Seeking scientific validation for her deep faith in Lord Krishna, she joined ISKCON in 1988 and was guided by senior devotees. She took formal initiation from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami in 1991 and pursued a B.Ed based on his advice. She also gained computer skills for designing materials. In 2000, she started a thematic 10-day summer camp for children, later expanding it under His Holiness Bhanu Swami’s guidance. With her leadership, ISKCON Chennai now runs programs for 500 children annually. In 2014, she initiated Krishna consciousness programs in schools, reaching 10,000 students weekly across 25 schools by 2018. To support children’s education, she began research in 2003, resulting in a nine-book series, Glory of India, with the third book, AVATAR, recently published. She has also contributed articles and written children’s storybooks based on Srimad Bhagavatam.

Mitravinda devi dasi
Brazil

Graduated in Theology and Religious studies at Bhaktivedanta College (Belgium). Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, joined ISKCON at the age of 19, in 2005, and since then she has been dedicated to missionary activities in the movement. She received her spiritual initiation from His Holiness Dhanvantari Swami in 2006, and in 2007 studied Bhakti Sastri course at the Hare Krishna Seminar of Philosophy and Theology (Brazil). In 2009 and 2010 she studied Bhakti Vaibhava course at Mayapur Institute, and in 2016 completed the GBC College course for zonal supervisors, in India. Since 2008 she has been a teacher at the Jaladuta Institute (Brazil), since 2014 director of the online learning department at the same Institute, and since 2017 is a member of the GBC College team for Latin America.

Param Padam das
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay

Param padam das was initiated in ISKCON in 1988. He has been trained as a Social Psychologist, Communication Technician and Bachelor of Mediation and Conflict Resolution. He teaches Bhakti sastri, Bhakti Vaibhaba and Bhaktivedanta courses. Since 2004 he coordinates with his wife the first vaisnava virtual educational platform (www.culturadelbhakti.com) for the Spanish-speaking world, training devotees in the philosophical foundations of Vaishnavism and training and advising teachers of the ISKCON vaishnava community. He wrote the book “The 9 Yogi Experiences” where he systematically summarizes the teachings of the Bhagavad gita in modern language.