Brief Introductions About The Stewards Behind SVA
The founding team members of the Sadhana Visionary Academy are:
Dr. Ratna Malar Selvaratnam (Academic Coordinator)
Alagappa Nagappan (Operations Coordinator)
Sannyasin Guhanathaswami (Spiritual Curriculum Coordinator)
Dr. Ratna Malar Selvaratnam is a peace ecologist committed to bringing peace approaches to human systems. With a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Mississippi, U.S.A. and a Doctor of Education from the University of Leicester, U.K, she has brought her work internationally to Oxford, Manila, Hanoi, and Cochin amongst others, and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders in her home country Malaysia. Her main objective is to promote cultural understanding and sustainable development internationally via values education.
Dr. Ratna Malar was a senior lecturer at Sunway University College, Malaysia from Jan. 2000 - Nov. 2007. She is also the founder of The Peace Cafe; an organization committed to the teaching, learning and research of peace ecology through informal education systems in the region. Currently she is an Education Consultant for projects and accomplishments which include, but extend beyond:
• National trainer for the Women Peacemaker’s Program, funded by the International Fellowship for Reconciliation, The Netherlands;
• Training and publication consultant for mainstreaming gender in the Malaysian environment sector through Malaysian Environment NGOs (MENGO), funded by DANIDA, Denmark.
• The Taiping Peace Initiative, Perak project consultancy, funded by the federal government in collaboration with UNDP and USM.
• Establishing an online community resource portal on peace ecology, The Peace Cafe.
• Values education consultant for Generating Opportunities for the Learning Disabled (GOLD), SMK Bandar Sunway, Selangor.
Mr. Alagappa Nagappan has a Bachelor in Engineering degree in Electrical/Electronics from the University of Technology, Malaysia. He has worked in the energy and tele-communications sectors of Malaysia. The companies he has worked with include Medic & Comm Services Sdn. Bhd., Alcatel Network Systems (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Harris Corporation and Maxis Communications Bhd.
Mr. Alagappa is the Director and Founder of Vallalar Aranilayam, an organization committed to identifying and helping the hardcore poor, the downtrodden and the underprivileged by providing for their needs mainly through its Food Aid Programmes. He also works with various Hindu organizations including Persatuan Kebajikan Vivekananda Margam, Sathya Sai Baba centres, and Hindu Youth Organization in helping to carry out various welfare activities. In the Education sector, he collaborates with the Kumar Educational Memorial Fund and the Ananthakrishnan Memorial Fund by identifying suitable institutions and candidates for these funds as education aid to rural Tamil schools. These funds provide financial aid for books, tuition and also transport for these students from their respective homes to their school.
About Arutperunjothi Margam Welfare Association
Arutperunjothi Margam Welfare Association (PKAM–Persatuan Kebajikan Arutperunjothi Margam) is an non-profit Hindu based welfare association that is centered around the teachings of the late Saint Vallalar (Ramalinga Swamigal). Its activities include identifying hardcore poor families and providing them with basic living assistance such as food and education. Its Food Aid programmes supports over 90 families in Malaysia, while the Education Aid programme supports the Ladang Lenggeng and Kirby Tamil schools in the state of Negeri Sembilan.
Sadhana Visionary Academy is the outgrowth of PKAM’s mission to bolster the socio-economic condition of the rural and disadvantaged Hindu community in Malaysia. Recognizing that the most effective charity is education charity, known in Tamil culture as Vidya Danam, PKAM has adopted SVA into its charter of missions.
Sannyasin Guhanathaswami is a Hindu Missionary. He was trained in Hindu philosophy, worship and Ashtanga Yoga practices under the tutelage of the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in his monastery and Theological Seminary in Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Upon the completion of his 12 year training under the Satguru and his senior ministers, Guhanathaswami was initiated personally by the Satguru into the ancient Order of Sannyas as an ordained Hindu minister to be of service to the global Hindu community.
Guhanathaswami returned to his homeland, Malaysia in 2002 and founded the Center for Hindu Studies to provide Hindu philosophy and Hindu arts education. He works with various Hindu organizations, temples and Tamil schools including the Brickfields Kandaswami Temple, Bandar Botanic Klang Hindu Association, Hindu Youth Organization, Vallalar Aranilayam, Lenggeng Tamil School, Kirby Tamil School, among other institutions to further his Hindu missionary goals.
The Mission Activities Of The Center for Hindu Studies
The Center for Hindu Studies (CHS) which is based in Malaysia and founded by Sannyasin Guhanathaswami is a free lance Hindu organization which promotes Hindu Dharma mainly through educational programmes and counseling ministry.
With emphasis on Yoga philosophy and practices the Center for Hindu Studies works in tandem with other like minded organizations and institutions mainly in Malaysia to provide Hindu education and practical training in spirituality.
As part of its goals and mission, The Center for Hindu Studies is collaborating with Arutperunjothi Margam Welfare Organization and Education Consultant Dr. Ratna Malar Selvaratnam to create Sadhana Visionary Academy.
Apart from SVA, The Center for Hindu Studies is also involved in spiritual welfare work through personal counseling and general welfare work work with Arutperunjothi Margam Welfare Association. A crucial mission of the Center for Hindu Studies is provide literature on Hindu philosophy, practices and culture. This is accomplished through the creation and maintenance of the website: www.MyHinduPage.org
Sannyasin Guhanathaswami: guhaswami@myhindupage.org
Alagappa Nagappan: alagappa@streamyx.com
Dr. Ratna Malar: ratna@thepeacecafe.com
