Pandit Hari Shankar Dabral
Pandit Hari Shankar Dabral was born in Dehradun, India, in a family of traditional Sanskrit scholars and imbibed the teachings of philosophy and mantra-shastra as a family heritage. He holds a Ph.D. in Sanskrit from the University of Garhwal. A disciple of H.H. Swami Rama of the Himalayas, he has been trained by Dr. Swami Veda Bharati for the past sixteen years and has assisted him in research, teaching meditation and lecturing. H.H.Swami Rama appointed Pandit Dabral as spiritual director of his Himalayan Institute in Chicago, in which position he served for four years before moving on to expand his service to Gurudeva further. Trained and authorized by Swami Rama to give initiations, Dr. Dabral has initiated many hundreds of people. An inspiring speaker, he also spends his time in guiding students in meditation in various centers in North America. He also teaches at Swami Rama's Ashram in Rishikesh when time permits. Dr. Pandit Dabral is second to Swami Veda Bharati in guiding the International Himalayan Yoga Teachers Association, which has over one hundred and fifty teachers teaching yoga in different parts of North America.