Symposium On Bellaṃkoṇḍa Rāmarāyakavi’s Unparalleled Contributions To Advaita Siddhānta

Nithin Sridhar is a Practising Hindu, Author, and Speaker He is the Director & Chief Curator of INDICA Center for Moksha Studies (Advaita Academy) dedicated to the dissemination of Advaita Vedanta. He has authored six books on various aspects of Hindu culture and practice. His first book “Musings On Hinduism '' provided an overview of various aspects of Hindu philosophy and society. His book ‘Samanya Dharma’ enunciates upon general tenets of ethics as available in Hindu texts. His latest book ‘Isopanishad: An English Commentary’ is an English translation and commentary on one of the prominent Hindu texts. However, his most widely read book is “Menstruation Across Cultures: A Historical Perspective'' which examines menstruation notions and practices prevalent in different cultures & religions from across the world. His upcoming book is a commentary on the opening verses of Manusmriti. He teaches courses on Hinduism for Indica Courses and regularly contributes articles and delivers lectures on religion, spirituality, and culture at various platforms. Earlier, he had also served as the Editor of IndiaFacts- a portal on Indian history and culture. He tweets at @nkgrock.

Trained in Sanskrit and Advaita Vedanta by his hyper-polyglot, polymath and spiritually accomplished sakala-shaastra-paarangata father, late Sri Paturi Sitaramanjaneyulu garu, Dr Nagaraj Paturi is seriously committed to the transmission of Vedic sciences to the present generation. In his PhD thesis (1998, University of Hyderabad), he developed an Indic Model of Myth Criticism of Literature and in his MPhil (1987, University of Hyderabad), he foregrounded Vakyapadiya as the theoretical foundation of the Ashtadhyayi. In addition to over 50 publications and about 60 conference/seminar/workshop papers, Dr Paturi has designed several courses pertaining to the contemporary applications of Vedic Sciences and has been successfully teaching them and getting them taught. Formerly Senior Professor of Cultural Studies FLAME School of Communication (& FLAME School of Liberal Education) and a Visiting Professor, University of Chicago (USA), Dr Paturi is currently Senior Director and Chief Curator at INDICA, a Distinguished Professor, Curriculum Designer, Executive Committee Member, Board of Studies, MIT School of Vedic Sciences (Pune, Maharashtra), Member, Board of Studies at Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University (Ramtek, Maharashtra) and Rashtram School of Public Leadership (Sonipat, Haryana). He is also the Editor-in-Chief of International Journals of Studies in Public Leadership and is a member of the Advisory Council of Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam (Bengaluru, Karnataka). He has provided consultancy to numerous culture research, theatre, and dance innovation projects. He has authored scores of creative writing works for Classical Dance, Modern Theater, and magazines and has delivered several series of talks and other programs on Radio and Television channels.

Dr. K. S. Maheswaran, born on 8th January 1981 in Peringode, Kerala, is an Assistant Professor in Vedanta at Madras Sanskrit College, Chennai. He specializes in Sastras, particularly Poorvamimamsa and Vedanta. Dr. Maheswaran completed his traditional studies under the guidance of renowned scholars and passed the Tenali exam in mimamsa. He holds several academic qualifications, including BA Sahitya, MA Vedanta, Net JRF, and a PhD in Vedanta. Dr. Maheswaran is actively involved in training disciples in various Sastras using the Gurukula traditional system, preparing them for exams such as Tenali Sastra pareeksha. He has written several books in Sanskrit and Malayalam and has presented papers in various seminars conducted by universities. Dr. Maheswaran has won several awards and recognitions, including Maharshi Badarayan Vyas Samman from the Honorable President of India in 2015, Suvarnanguleeyakam from Sringeri Mutt in 2015, and Bharathi Theertha Puraskar from Sringeri Mutt in 2021. He is also proficient in Carnatic music, kathakali music, Mridangam playing, and oil painting.

Srinivas Jammalamadaka studied Nyaya/Tarka Shastra under Sri. Ambadipudi Radhe Shyama Shastri, Advaita Vedanta under Sri. R. Mani David's Sastrigal, and Vyakarana under Sri. Ganti Dattatreya Murthy. He has completed the Tenali exams in Tarka Shastra and appeared for the Tenali exams in Advaita Vedanta. He has completed MPhil & PhD in Nyaya shastra. He is presently the Assistant Professor at the School of Shastric Learning, Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek. He has been conferred awards such as - Tarka-Ratnam & Vidwan Mani by Sri Kanchi Shankaracharya, Shastrakalanidhi by Madhya Pradesh State Governor.

Vidwan Shankarararama Sharma, a dedicated researcher pursuing a PhD at IISc, Bangalore, is a proficient Sanskrit scholar. Initiated into the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita at the age of 4 by his mother, he earned the blessings of the Jagadgurus of Sringeri and Kanchi in 2013 for memorizing the entire scripture. Having accomplished the Pravesha exam by Surasaraswathi Sabha of Sringeri, he holds an MA degree in Advaita Vedanta from Karnataka Sanskrit University, guided by his grandfather, Mahamahopadhyaya Dr Krishnamurthi Sastrigal. Currently engaged in writing Shastra Pareekshas in Tenali, he began his Vedadhyana under his paternal grandfather Sri Ramalinga Sarma and continues it under Sri Ananthesha Sarma. Shankarararama Sharma has conducted Ramayana Navahams and Bhagavata Saptahams multiple times, delivering discourses in Tamil, Kannada, and English. His repertoire includes various Parayanams and discourses on spiritual topics. He serves as a techno-linguistic scholar at Vyoma Linguistic Labs. He strives to use technology for the prachara and seva of Samskrita Mata.

Karthik Sharma is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth situated in Kochi,Kerala. He completed his graduation and Post graduation in Advaita Vedanta from The Madras Sanskrit College, Mylapore. Karthik Sharma completed his traditional studies in Advaita Vedanta under Dr. K. S. Maheswaran Namboothiri’s guidance, completing all the 15 levels of exams followed by the Mahapareeksha in Advaita Vedanta at Kanchee Veda Vedanta Sastra Sabha, Tenali. He also learned Tarka-Sastra in traditional style under Dr K. E. Devanathan. He also learned advanced Vedanta texts under Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. Mani Dravid Sastrigal. Karthik Sharma has participated as resource person in several Vakyartha sadas, Seminars,debates and Workshops across India.

Karthik Sharma was honoured with the Golden Ring (Suvarnanguleeyakam) by Mahasannidhanam, Sringeri Mutt in the year 2019. He was also awarded with the title ‘Advaitavedantaratnam’ by Kanchi mutt in 2019 and advaita-vedāntavidvanmaṇiḥ’ by Indic Academy in the year of 2021. He was also honoured with the vidyānidhipuraskāra by sringeri mutt in the year of 2022.

R S Vaidyanathan is a student of Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati ji. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics from the Centre for International Trade and Development at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Vidwan Manikandan Iyer, a financial crime specialist by profession, and a sanatani by practice, with Sharada's blessings has had the rare fortune of studying the shastras from a tender age. He also studied and continues to study Vyakarana from Vidwan.Sri.Tilak Rao. He traditionally started his Vedanta study under his Guru Brahmasri Sri Sridhara sharma. He has also had the rare fortune of learning vedanta from the most senior and respected vidwan in the vedanta circle Mahamahopadhyaya Shastra Ratnakara Vidwan Sri Mullaivasal Krishnamurthy shastri while continuing to learn under Brahmasri Sri Sridhara Sharma.He also has the rare fortune of studying tarka shastra from Vidwan Sri.Naveen Holla of sringeri (senior most disciple of the 36th pontiff of Sringeri Saradapeetham Mahasannidhanam Sri Sri Bharatitirtha Mahaswamiji)

Vidwan P R Vasudevan has completed his Masters and PhD in Vedanta. He is traditionally learning Vedanta under Mahamopadhyaya Dr. Mani Dravid Sastrigal and Dr. K S Maheshwaran. He is also completing his Rig Veda Adhyayana under Sri. K. Shyama Sundara. He also studied basic Mimamsa Shastra under Dr. K S Maheshwaran and is currently studying Tarka Shastra under Vachaspathi Sastri Joshi. He has attended main Vakyartha Sadas and have received many awards including Sadachara Cash Prize with Gold coin endowed by His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in 2014-15 and Dharmatma Sri Dr. Vaidya Subramania Iyer Award for excellence in Vedanta Studies in 2013.

Sri Kuvalaya Datta is a traditional Scholar of Samaveda & Advaita Vedanta who currently works as a teacher of Advaita Vedanta at Datta Peetham, Mysuru. He studied Samaveda under Sri. Rajesha Shrouthy and Advaita Vedanta under Dr. Kuppa Vishvanatha sharma. He is currently pursuing his PhD on the topic "Nyayasudha Jignasadhikarana sameekshanam" from National Sanskrit University, Tirupati under the guidance of Sri. Ganapati Bhat.

Dr. Kuppa Bilwesa Sarma is a traditional scholar of Vyaarana and Advaita Vedanta who is currently working as Assistant Professor at the Department of Prachina Vyakarana, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. He has studied Vyakarana Shastra under Bramhasri Kompella Satyanarayana Shastri and Bramhasri Sripada Subrahmanya Shastri. He has studied Advaita Vedanta under Bramhasri R.Mani Dravida Shstrigal. He has also studied Krishna Yajurveda under Bramhasri Hari Veerabhadra Ghanapathi. He has received several awards including Vyakarana Ratnam and Adviata Vedanta Ratnam from Tenali Shastra Sabha, Vyakarana Shastra Vichakshana and Vidwanmani from Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham,Kanchipuram, Advaita Vedanta Vidwanmani from Indic Academy and many more. He has also authored three books on Vyakarana.

Jaishankar is a sishya of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji and has undergone a three-year residential Vedanta course with Pujya Swamiji at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (AVG), Anaikatti, Coimbatore, India from 1995-1998. An alumnus of IIT-BHU Varanasi, Jaishankar graduated as an Engineer and was working in India and later USA as a Software Engineer. He met his Guru Pujya Swami Dayananda ji first at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA at USA and then decided to study Vedanta with Pujya Swamiji. After completing the three-year residential course at AVG, Anaikatti, Jaishankar married Srividya who was also a student of the same course, as per Pujya Swamiji’s wishes. Jaishankar settled in Chennai after the course and was teaching Vedanta and Samskritam to interested people in Chennai.

Pujya Swamiji asked Jaishankar and his Gurubhai Kalyankumar to buy some land in a rural area and build a Gurukulam around 2010. As a tribute to his Guru, Jaishankar along with Kalyankumar and Srividya, is now building Aarsha Vidya Varshini Gurukulam at Dakshinamurthy Sarovar, Therku Pappankulam, Kallidaikurichi, Tirunelveli District, India. The plan is to build a Gurukulam with rooms, lecture hall, kitchen and dining facilities for 50 people to stay and study. At present there is a temple for Vallabha Mahaganapati, Sharadamba and Adi Shankaracharya, Narmadeshvara and Venugopala Swami Shrine and a Goshala for the protection of desi cows, with 40 cows and calves. Jaishankar plans to teach Vedanta and Sanskrit primarily for adults but also plans to have yoga camps, children’s camps and youth camps in future. As of now he is conducting online classes on Vedanta, Samskritam and chanting.