Winter Wear Activities for Preschool: Fun Ways to Teach About Seasonal Clothes Winter is the perfect time to teach preschoolers about seasonal clothes while keeping them engaged with interactive and creative activities. These winter clothes activities for preschoolers not only educate children about the importance of winter wear but also spark curiosity and joy. At Aum School, we focus on…
Winter Math Activities for Preschoolers: Combining Fun with Learning Winter is a magical time, and what better way to keep preschoolers engaged than by introducing them to math in a fun, seasonal way? Incorporating numbers and shapes into winter-themed activities not only helps children enjoy learning but also builds strong foundational skills. Here, we share some creative winter math activities…
The Importance of Rituals in Hindu Dharma for Children: Making Traditions Fun and Meaningful As a parent, instilling a sense of culture and tradition in your child from an early age can be deeply rewarding. At Aum School, we understand the importance of rituals in Hindu Dharma and how they contribute to a child’s holistic development. By making these rituals…
Bedtime Stories from Hindu Dharma: Lessons for Young Children In today’s world, where screens often replace books, there’s something timeless and magical about bedtime stories. At Aum School, we believe in the power of storytelling to pass down valuable life lessons from Hindu Dharma to young children. For parents in the USA, looking for ways to connect their children with…
The Role of Hindu Festivals in Preschool Education: Fun Ways to Celebrate with Kids As a parent seeking quality education for your child, you might be exploring schools that integrate cultural values with a mainstream academic. At Aum School, we believe in preserving and teaching rich cultural traditions, such as Hindu Dharma, to young minds. Integrating Hindu festivals into preschool…
Introduction: What is Hindu Dharma? Hindu Dharma, also known as Sanatana Dharma, is one of the world’s oldest ways of life. It teaches us how to live with kindness, love, and respect for everyone. Imagine it like a big, friendly guidebook that tells us how to be good people. Hindu Dharma has many important ideas like loving nature, being good…
Which Pranayam Is Good for Toddlers? Gentle Breathing Techniques for Calming Young Minds. Teaching toddlers the art of breathing can be a powerful tool for calming their minds and introducing them to meditation from an early age. While pranayama (breath control) may sound like a complex concept for little ones, there are simple, toddler-friendly techniques that can help them feel…
Pranayama for Tiny Yogis: Best Breathing Exercises for Preschoolers Introduction Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into early childhood education can have profound benefits for young minds. At Aum School, we believe in nurturing holistic development, and breathing exercises like Prayanama are great for keeping them calm, focused, and self-aware. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best pranayama techniques…
Bhramari Pranayama: A Buzzing Bee of Benefits for Kids Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into early childhood education can have profound benefits for young minds. At Aum School, we believe in nurturing holistic development, and Pranayama, or breathing exercises, plays a crucial role in cultivating calm, focus, and self-awareness. One particularly beneficial technique for preschoolers is Bhramari Pranayama, also known as…
Vedic Math: A Mental Math Marvel In today’s fast-paced world, mental math skills are more valuable than ever. Traditional arithmetic methods can often be time-consuming and prone to errors. Here’s where Vedic Math, an ancient Indian system of mathematics, shines. Known for its simplicity and efficiency, Vedic Math offers elegant and quick solutions to complex mathematical problems. One such area…
Houston’s Subhash Gupta is a philanthropist for Hindu causes. Founder of the First Hindu Campsite near Houston, he serves as a Sanghchalak of Greater Houston.
Cardiologist in clinical practice in Floresville, TX since 2004.200 hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher with AUM Yoga Sadhana .
Initiated in the path of Kriya Vinyasa Yoga under Siddha Himalayan Monk
HH Swami Vidyadhishanandah , spiritual founder of Hansavedas and Self Enquiry Life Fellowship.
Personal interest: learning / Practicing the lineage based comprehensive practices of Yoga as taught and learnt by the great masters from the land of Bharat.
He dedicates his life to share these valuable teachings to the next generation and sincere seekers in a structured format .
Serving as President of AUM ashram.
Raj Kumar Maini ji was born in Amritsar, Punjab and has been a swayamsevak since childhood. He is a businessman in the United States for the past 30 years, and prior to that was a college professor of English Literature in India. He has been a Sanghchalak of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh for 15 years, and is also a founding trustee of DCF.
Hemaben Chaurasia is a Gujarati from Mumbai with strong traditional and cultural values. She has been in the US for 30+ years and raised her kids here, balancing the cultural extremes. Earning her master’s and doctorate degrees in the US, Hemaben has extensive management experience in the finance industry and academic experience with teaching and curriculum development.
After recently completing a three-year residential Vedanta course in Rishikesh, her guru guided her to serve and help foster Vedic tradition and culture. Her passion is enriching blooming minds, something she’s always been involved in.
Tech Whiz Turned Playful Teacher! Keerthi sparks curiosity & creativity through stories & games. Engineer by degree and a storyteller by heart, Keerthi (25+ ECE credits) brings learning alive at HSS & AUM School. She helps kids blossom through play, weaving imaginative tales & designing joyful learning spaces. Advocate for sustainability & mindfulness; she fuels your child’s growth, on & off the mat!
Megha Joshi has Masters degree in Accounting from university of Mumbai. She has PBCA ( Post Baccularate Certificate in Accounting) from Indiana university USA. She has completed ” Know Your Child ” course through CCE Finland. She has experience for working with kids for more than 35 years. She has been College Professor for Accounting in Bharat. She is the 4th generation from her family who is in education field. She has been preschool teacher in united States since 2012. She is associated with Aum school since 2020. She has worked for Aum summer camp and also did teach Virtual preschool for 2 years.
Geetanjali Dhir has done BA in Fashion Designing (NIFT) from Delhi University. She has volunteered in elementary and middle school for 8+ years.
Kirti Joshi has a passion to ignite young minds by imparting knowledge of Samskritam, Vedic Ganit and Marathi.She holds bachelors degree in Physics and has completed “Know Your Child” course through CCE Finland.With an experience of nurturing curious young minds for five years( in Bharat) and 5 years dedicated Balagokulam volunteer teaching experience, she looks forward to cultivating a joy of learning in students.She is associated with Aum School since 2020 working as a teacher and Aum School coordinator.
Manasi Palkar holds masters of Arts in political Science and Bachelors of Education in Marathi and Hindi. Manasi worked as a primary and middle school teacher in Bharat for 11 years. She also Worked as professor in junior college for 2 yrs. Manasi worked as a consultant Translator and lecturer for small businesses in Maharashtra. In the USA, she spent 6 years developing Marathi curriculum from level 1- 6 with worksheets. She also developed a summer workbook for all 5 years. She completed the child development course and worked in Synergy school as non teaching staff for 1.5+ years.
Harini Srinivasan has a Master’s in Microbiology with advanced certification in bioinformatics and healthcare informatics. She is also a certified yoga therapist. She currently teaches at yoga studios for group and private clients. She has been an active volunteer for Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh for past 9 years. She has been teaching yoga for the past 8 years from 3-70 years old. Originally from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, she currently resides with her family in San Antonio, Texas.
Science Whiz + Creative Spark = Thriving Kiddos!
Anila combines 12+ years of graphic design magic with a master’s in biotechnology to create learning adventures that ignite minds and imaginations. She has worked as an early childhood educator and champions whole-child development, celebrating cultural backgrounds and nurturing every child’s unique potential. When not exploring with her family, you’ll find her hiking mountains or coaxing flowers to bloom. Let’s build a love of learning, together!
Ambika Natarajan originally from Tamil Nadu, has a Bachelor’s degree in Home Science from Chennai, India. She is now retired after working in the medical field as a referral coordinator, currently residing in Richmond, Texas. A firm believer in educating children with a solid moral foundation, she had been an administrator and volunteer teacher in Bal Vikas program in the Hindu Temple of San Antonio for many years and volunteered at Aum School San Antonio.
Varsha Chauhan holds a Gold Medal for her Master’s degree in Science from the University of Delhi as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She has had experience as an educator in Delhi Public School in India and has been a core curriculum developer for Dharma and Heritage at Aum School. Her insight into the mind of a child as a teacher at DPS and Hindi Pathshala as well as a Bala Pramukh in Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh has allowed her to create a curriculum that facilitates the holistic growth of the students, she enjoys spending time with her family, undertaking new hobbies, and taking part in outdoor activities.
Sai Tenneti is a hardware engineer and has been working in the aerospace industry for the past seven years. His professional background is in electrical engineering, with degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Ohio State University. Sai is a second-generation Hindu-American born and raised in Massachusetts, and has been associated with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood. He and his family currently reside in Boston.
Originally from Pune, Maharashtra, Ram Agarwal has been an IT professional since the early ‘70s. He graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago and worked for Hewlett Packard (HP) for a long time. In addition to being associated with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh since his childhood, Ram is an active volunteer in several other notable organizations, such as Shiv Durga Mandir – Sunnyvale and the American Association of Retired Persons.
Shubhangi Kadhe is originally from Maharashtra and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai and MFA (Interior Architecture) from Academy of Art University, San Francisco. She also has a Design Communication Arts degree from UCLA Extension, Los Angeles. Her professional experience includes working for Interior design studios, architectural firms and landscape design firms. Currently, she is a graphic design consultant. Shubhangi is an active volunteer for Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and has been associated with the organization since her childhood.
Smitha Karthik holds a master’s degree in computer science and currently works as a computer engineer for Intel, with over 15 years of technological experience. She has been a volunteer for Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh since her childhood and has held multiple responsibilities in the organization. She has led the marketing effort for Aum School in the past. Growing up in a household involved in building an educational organization, she has a natural passion for creating a strong Hindu education institution. Smitha is originally from Bengaluru, Karnataka, and currently resides in San Jose, California.
Anoja Kashyap holds a master’s degree in Computer Systems from San Francisco State University and has 8 years of professional expertise as a Firmware Engineer. Presently, she works at Meta.
Anoja places great importance on maintaining a connection with cultural and social roots. In her role as a new mom, Anoja is a passionate advocate for instilling Dharmic values in early childhood, believing in their transformative impact on holistic development.
Residing in Atlanta with her family, Anoja actively integrates her professional pursuits with her commitment to cultural values and the joys of family life.
Padma Kuppa is a mom, an engineer, an immigrant, a civic leader, automotive and finance professional, and most recently, a two-term State Representative. She is known for her interfaith bridge building efforts and founding of the Troy Area Interfaith Group, which led to her leadership at the Hindu American Foundation and other Hindu, Indian American, South Asian and interfaith organizations across the state and the country. Active in her local temple, including teaching youth about their Hindu heritage and supporting the start of a Montessori school at the mandir, she has presented at HMEC on a wide range of topics. In 2021, she helped found the Hindu Community Relations Council of Michigan, and inaugurated their youth advocacy bootcamp. She is a fierce, lifelong advocate for public education, and works to ensure all children have access to opportunity.
Pratibha Goyal is an entrepreneur, educator, and the founder and director of the Lotus Learners Group of Schools. Additionally, she is the Pacific Region President and Director of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation USA. She is also a volunteer for Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and for Sewa International. Pratibha currently resides in San Diego, California.
Shirin Kulkarni is the Research Director and co-founder of the Council for Creative Education (CCE) Finland. She is an entrepreneur, researcher, teacher trainer, and writer in the field of educational creativity and psychology. With her expertise in pedagogy and creative education, she has trained teachers and principals to develop their school learning environment using innovative methods based on the Finnish education system, which is known to be the best in the world. She is the winner of the Golden Women’s Award 2015 in the Science and Innovation category and a recipient of the University of Tampere Foundation’s Research Grant.
Rakhi Israni is an attorney by profession with an MBA from Rice University. Before she started law school in 1995, she graduated from the Houston Police Academy. She worked for TestMasters, a family-owned educational company in Houston, since 1991. In 2003, she moved to California to set up educational courses at the request of a community center. In the process, she founded an educational company called Excel Test, which she has been managing ever since. Rakhi is a second-generation Indian American and currently lives with her family in Fremont, CA.
Sabitha Hebbar has 13 years of experience teaching preschool, and 10 years as a director of a Montessori school. She has an advanced degree in electrical and computer engineering and Montessori methodology from University of California, Irvine. She currently lives in Thousand Oaks, California with her family.
Bhausaheb Patil has an MBA in computer systems and has over 25 years of experience in accounts, finance, and systems. He is an active volunteer for Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and has been associated with the organization since his childhood. Originally from Mumbai, Maharashtra, he currently resides in Long Island, New York, with his family.
Dr. Darshan Thakkar is an Assistant Superintendent and General Counsel of Lawrence Family Development Charter School in Massachusetts. He supports the superintendent on charter school administration, school law, curriculum standards alignment, and educator licensure & evaluation. He has a JD in law and a PhD in education. He has consulted as an online instructional designer for seven law school courses. Dr. Darshan Thakkar lives in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Formerly a software engineer in Silicon Valley, Manisha Kand is the founder of a college admission consultation company – SecureCollegeAdmission – where she currently guides high school students in getting into their dream colleges. She has also been an active volunteer of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh for the past 25 years, in which she has assumed various leadership roles. Manisha is also an active volunteer of the non-profit organization – Global Indian Technology Professionals Association (GITPRO) – where she leads women’s entrepreneurship events.
Nidhi Adhvaryu holds Director Level 2 credentials in the State of North Carolina. She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and master’s degree in business management from Surat, Gujarat. She has completed the “Know Your Child” course through CCE Finland. She holds 22 credit hours Advance Certification in Early Childhood Education from RCCC, North Carolina. In Bharat, she tutored high school students for 7 years in Mathematics, Accountancy, statistics, and other commerce subjects. She volunteers as a teacher at Balagokulam and loves interacting with kids. She is associated with Aum School since 2020. She has taught Pre-K children in 2020-21 school year and Vedic Maths to 2nd graders through 5th graders for school year 2020-21 and 2021-22. She is an active member of Bricks and Motor Aum school in North Carolina. She works as Director in 5-star Childcare Early Education Academy.
Maulik Shukla is a software engineer with 20 years of professional experience and currently works as a Senior Director at Microsoft. He is associated as a volunteer with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh for over 20 years, handling multiple leadership roles, and is known for his organizational skills. He loves Sanskrit and Hindustani Classical Music, and finds them as ways to stay connected with the Hindu culture. Maulik is deeply passionate about bringing today’s generation closer to their cultural roots. He is originally from Mumbai, Maharashtra and lives with his family in Cupertino, California.
Shalini Bhalla, from Hanover, Maryland, was born and brought up in New Delhi, Bharat. She has double Master’s degrees in Electronics and in Curriculum and educational leadership. She has been an educator for the past 25 years, and is currently working for Anne Arundel county public schools in Maryland as a school performance coach and school testing coordinator. Shalini is passionate about education and has also taught high school physics and chemistry in India (12 years) and the United States (13 years).
Amit Misra has practiced as an attorney in Houston for nearly 25 years with a specialization in labor and employment law, representing employers of all sizes, from mom-and-pop businesses to the Fortune 10. He has degrees in international affairs and public affairs. Amit has also held volunteer leadership positions with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA, the country’s largest Hindu-American organization, at local, regional, and national levels. Through his volunteer work with HSS and other Hindu organizations, Amit has worked intimately with the issue of Hindu education for second and third generation Hindu-Americans for over 30 years.
