Meet the KRI Staff and Board Members
Dr. Gurusahay Khalsa has been in private practice since 1978 and is the director of the GRD Healing Arts Clinic, a multi-disciplinary health and healing clinic in Atlanta, GA. His specialties include acupuncture, gentle chiropractic care, nutrition, applied kinesiology, and yoga therapy. Dr. Khalsa educates and inspires people to improve the quality of their living by enabling them to take control of their own life physically, mentally and spiritually. He has lectured extensively for the last 25 years on Kundalini yoga and meditation, health care, nutrition, oriental medicine, stress management, goal setting, prosperity, and wellness and longevity.
Gurusahay is a Level 1 and 2 certified Teacher Trainer through the Aquarian Teacher’s Academy of the Kundalini Research Institute. He had the unique blessing and opportunity to study ancient healing arts with Yogi Bhajan as a member and co-founder of the Khalsa Chiropractic Association. He currently teaches weekly Kundalini Yoga classes and weekend Yoga workshops on various topics at the new GRD Yoga and Meditation Center in Atlanta.
Devinder is a Hatha Yoga Teacher Trainer and Kundalini Yoga Lead Trainer certified by KRI. She is a member of Yoga Alliance (ERYT-500), the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Associations (IKYTA), and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
In 2003, Devinder created PranaShanti as a web-based resource and free eNewsletter to share the benefits of Yoga. In 2008, this concept grew into the PranaShanti Yoga Centre, an 8,000 square foot multi-style yoga centre offering 100+ weekly classes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Devinder is the owner and Director of PranaShanti Yoga Centre and teaches classes weekly and regularly leads workshops, retreats and Teacher Training Programs.
Devinder has over 25 years of experience as a self-employed business owner and IT consultant. She regularly writes yoga inspired and health-related articles for magazines and websites is a much-requested presenter on television programs and at local and national Yoga and Women’s conferences. Devinder also enjoys being a traveling guest trainer for Teacher Training programs.
Nirvair Singh Khalsa began studying with Yogi Bhajan in 1971. He is a retired University Instructor at the University of Alaska Anchorage where he taught classes in Kundalini Yoga for 31 years. He has authored nineteen best selling DVD's/Videos and four books on Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. (www.kundaliniyoga.net) He has also taught classes, workshops and trainings throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Currently he is the CEO and President of The Kundalini Research Institute. He is a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 certified teacher trainer. He lives with his wife of 40 years, Nirvair Kaur, in Tesuque New Mexico.
Hargopal has been a student of Yogi Bhajan since the mid-1970s. She went to her first solstice after taking Kundalini yoga classes for just 3 months. She has taught Kundalini Yoga at yoga centers, in corporate settings, and at a retirement home. She was part of the Superhealth drug rehab project in India, supporting the clients by teaching Kundalini Yoga and providing Sat Nam Rasayan (R) sessions. She currently practices and teaches SNR (R) in the USA and Canada. She occasionally produces an SNR(R) newsletter. Hargopal is also a facilitator of family constellations.
Hargopal is the first person known to have practiced SNR(R) on one of Yogi Bhajan's turbans as she was ironing it -- and by his response, he clearly recognized it!
Hargopal studied Physics and currently works in the aerospace industry. Space fascinates her - whether it is perceived to be internal, external, universal or empty. And it is the yoga and meditations taught by Yogi Bhajan that are the foundation of her personal growth as well as the technology used in classes and private practice to assist others.
Krishna Kaur, a dynamic, heart centered Yoga teacher, began studying with Yogi Bhajan in 1970 and has passionately taught the art and science of Kundalini Yoga and Self Awareness for over 40 years. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from her teaching in Africa, Mexico, and inner cities throughout the United States. A master teacher trainer of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, she conducts workshops in Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
She is certified by the 3HO Foundation and the Kundalini Research Institute as a Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Trainer of both Level I and II. She is the regional coordinator for 3HO Africa, which unites Kundalini Yoga in Africa. Krishna also founded and runs Y.O.G.A. for Youth, a non-profit dedicated to training yoga teachers to work with at-risk youth and creating yoga programs in schools and juvenile facilities. More info on Krishna Kaur can be found here.
I became in involved with KRI in 1973 when I moved to Pomona from the New Orleans Ashram. I worked with KRI for the 5 years I lived in Pomona, before becoming head of the Long Beach Ashram. I have heart for KRI; I have since that time. I believe in KRI's mission and pray for it's continued success.
In the 1990's, the Siri Singh Sahib told me to try to work with KRI. He told be that it would not be easy to begin that work, but encouraged me to attempt to get involved. His direction, continues to motivate me.
Today, I have been working in executive management with non-profits for 10 or so years. My file has been primarily program development and implementation. A part of that process is program evaluation. The later is an area I have energy for as related to KRI. I believe that relatively simple research projects can be designed that will demonstrate the benefits of Kundalini Yoga and KRI programs; identifying what they do well and opportunities for improving those programs. There is such a large teacher base, with so many classes being taught,I believe there is a rich opportunity here. In addition, I believe that over time, KRI can become a resource for other non-profits who want to conduct research and program evaluation.
Dr. Haridass Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D. lives in Los Angeles, California, USA and is a KRI Lead Trainer. She is the founder of Infinite Goddess website and webshop offering Kundalini Yoga trainings worldwide.
She is trained in Natural Health, Shiatsu-Anma and studies the biomechanics, Qi optimization, and neural patterning of pain sensory to alleviate Chronic Pain. She is focused on making local teachers and building sangat/communities worldwide. She is dedicated to spreading the Teachings far and wide and leads Level 1 Trainings in Bali, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Haiti, Panama, and in the United States. She teaches weeklong intensive Level 2 courses in India, Mexico,and the United States. Some of her courses are offered in intimate, ashram style trainings for those seeking a more in-depth, service oriented, and social experience.
Familiar with the yoga festival scene, Dr. Haridass teaches regularly at 3HO Solstices, Sat Nam Fest Mexico, Bhaktifest, Shaktifest, and the European Yoga Festival. She also serves as a member of Teacher Trainer Executive Committee and is a festival management consultant. She offers Tantric Necklace consultations and is a Paiste Gong Reseller at www.infinitegoddess.com
Known as the "Mother of 3HO," Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa is the author of KUNDALINI YOGA: The Flow of Eternal Power. She has been teaching Kundalini Yoga since 1969 - specializing in teaching beginners. At "Masters Touch" courses, she trains teachers how to teach beginners.
Shakti was Yogi Bhajan's first student in the United States. They met in December of 1968 when he first came to Los Angeles. Yogi Bhajan told her that she had been a student long enough; that she should be a teacher, and that he had come to "train teachers, not to gather disciples."
She drove him to the various classes he taught, took notes (which later were printed as "Sadhana Guidelines") and within two months she was teaching Kundalini Yoga at YMCA's. When he began his lecture tours, Shakti took over his classes in Los Angeles and at Claremont College in Pomona. She served as his Executive Secretary and that of 3HO for over 30 years. She was ordained as a Minister of Sikh Dharma in 1974.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1929 (two months before Yogi Bhajan), Shakti moved to Los Angeles with her mother and brother in 1943, graduated as Valedictorian from Hollywood High in 1947, attended UCLA, and married at 18. She gave birth to a son at 20; was divorced at 22.
She started investigating spiritual paths, reading Edgar Cayce, Ouspensky, Meher Baba -- and studying with various teachers (Dr Judith Tyberg - Sanskrit; Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan - Sufi meditation), attending lectures at the Vedanta society in Hollywood, and Self Realization Fellowship in Pacific Palisades.
In her late '30's Shakti spent 40 days in India (December1966/January 1967) visiting different ashrams (Swami Chinmayanada in Bombay; Sri Satya Sai Baba in Bangalore; Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.)
Shakti produced the 3HO Newsletter, "The Science of Keeping Up" for over 30 years, and now is a contributing editor for "Aquarian Times" magazine. She edits the IKYTA (International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association) newsletter "Kundalini Rising" as well as the Sikh Dharma publication, "Prosperity Paths." She created the "Toolkit for Teaching Beginners Kundalini Yoga" that is used in teacher training courses.
Satsimran Kaur was on Yogi Bhajan's personal staff since 1971 and was his appointment and travel secretary until 1987, when he entrusted her to work with him to create the White Tantric Yoga videos. Over the years she worked in many capacities within 3HO Foundation and Sikh Dharma which she still serves. She is CEO and General Manager of WTY worldwide and has held the vision for the Library of the Teachings of Yogi Bhajan and supervises its development within KRI. She is a member of the Board of Directors of KRI and Humanology and Health Science. Satsimran is a graduate of Coach University. Her 35 years-plus experience with Yogi Bhajan, and in human development and transformation as a Life Coach and group facilitator, as well as a Minister of Sikh Dharma, gives her the knowledge that anything is possible if we are mindful about achieving it and we have fun doing it! Satsimran bases in Los Angeles, and spends a lot of time visiting and sharing with individuals and communities whose principles are founded on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.