SHINE (Spiritual Heritage of India for Next-gen Empowerment)

Inspiration for our name – Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji, a renowned Vedanta teacher and Sanskrit scholar and our beloved guru had shared the glory of Sanatana Dharma through a 52 television series called ‘The Spiritual Heritage of India’. And so, it seemed natural that we adopt the name SHINE (Spiritual Heritage of India for Next-gen empowerment).

“Children don’t know about Sanatana Dharma. Whose fault?

Parents? Education system? Society? Does not matter.

It is our collective responsibility that children can and will be anchored in Sanatana Dharma.”

Swamini Brahmaprajnananda

Goal for the 79th anniversary of India’s independence, (Aug 2025 – July 2026):  

800 children (4 – 12 years) across Bharat and overseas will learn and practice Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism in their everyday life. 

Strategy – About 20 SHINE teachers (Tejasvis)  will teach 800 children in these 12 months through weekly camps, three month courses and weekly classes.

Curriculum* of SHINE – SHINE will help children be happy, confident, grateful and anchored in Santana Dharma, contributing to all round success. Hence it includes –

• • Understanding of God & Dharma

  • Svadharma & Karma

  • Panchamahayajna-s (our BIG 5 connections & duties)

  • Knowing our ‘Ishta Devata’, Guru Parampara & Scriptures

  • Learning prayers & shlokas, 5-step Puja, Panchanga & Festivals

  • Living a value-based life

  • Yatras and Temples of India

  • Introduction to Sanskrit sounds & basic conversation

  • Discussions, Role models, Narration & analysis of Itihasa-s

  • Simple pranayama & yoga asanas.

  • Meditation, puja, chanting & art work

What does a typical SHINE class include?

A typical SHINE class includes an interactive session of a group of children once a week for about 60-75 minutes. Each class has –

• • Teaching on Sanatana Dharma

  • Learning shloka/bhajan

  • Stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.

  • Art work/ Game/quiz/discussion

Parents get a recording of shlokas which the children can practice at home

All SHINE classes for children are charged.

Why SHINE? 

Qualifications for a Tejasvi (SHINE teacher) –

We are looking for SHINE teachers who always wanted to contribute to Sanatana Dharma and were looking for a meaningful way to do so. What better way than to work with our present and future generation?

Potential SHINE teachers   

• • Are committed to and wish to contribute to Sanatana Dharma in a long term, sustainable way.

  • Have 2-4 hours a week to conduct a SHINE Class for children (4-12 years) (offline/online)

  • Have an uninterrupted broadband internet connection (if taking online classes)

  • Have good communication skills

  • Can pronounce Sanskrit shlokas correctly

  • Enjoy interacting with children 

  • Can find an interested group of children either online or offline to begin teaching, the context for each teacher being different. 

  • Would like to earn some money while making a difference to the next generation.

Additional advantage (not mandatory)

• • Speak in a regional or local language
  • Any skill or knowledge which can make the class more enriching and interesting (Hindustani/Carnatic Music / Dance / Acting / Art / Ayurveda / Counselling)

Applications for the next round of training of Tejasvi-s (SHINE teachers) are open.

 Please note the following before applying –

1. 1. Training for a Tejasvi will include 12 hours which are spread over 6 sessions. Each session will be of 2 hours.

   2. Training sessions will be conducted on Zoom. It will be largely interactive with discussion on content and tools for teaching.   

   3. There are no charges for the training. From our scholarship fund, each teacher will receive a one-time honorarium of Rs 7500 or its equivalent after the teachers begin their sessions.    

   4. Teachers will have the freedom to organise regular sessions with children at their convenience. The entire fees from the classes may be considered as the income of the teacher.     

   5. All teachers will be a part of our private online community on Slack and will be expected to share updates, raise questions and contribute to the collective wisdom of the group.  

   6. At the end of training, Tejasvi-s will be able to successfully conduct camps and regular classes for children such that they are anchored and live a life of Sanatana Dharma. 

 Next steps

Interested teachers will submit the form of interest. Please fill the Google form below.

Selected teachers will be informed of their selection.

Please check your spam folder also for email from swaminiji@arshavidyananda.in/shine@arshavidyananda.in

Preparation for training – Teachers will be given a list of videos to watch and material to read which they may do at their convenience (a total of 2 hours)

Training (6 sessions of 2 hours each)

Time : 5PM – 7:00 PM* IST

*Subject to the convenience of the group.

Next batch 1st/2nd week of Sep 2025 (online)

ENROL NOW. BE A SHINE TEACHER.

Click here to fill up the Google form. 

For further queries please write to sonali@arshavidyananda.in

Do join us to celebrate India by contributing to our strategy of 800 children in Bharat and overseas living a life of Sanatana Dharma. 

(*The pedagogy has been developed by Swamini Brahmaprajnananda, Vedanta teacher who has also designed courses on Dharma and has a background in psychology (including child psychology) & Sonali Ambasankar. Sonali has been studying Vedanta for 12 years with Swaminiji, conducting SHINE classes and camps since the last 6 years and teaching Sanskrit shloka chanting to children and adults. We have reviewed online resources available for children and created educational and entertaining videos for topics that were missing. Additionally, we use three textbooks called Hindu Religion (A glimpse into spiritual, cultural and patriotic Bharat) designed by Sri Vivekananda Kendra and extensively used in Kanyakumari for more than 50000 children.)  

Testimonials of some trained Tejasvi-s post attending the SHINE Tejasvi Teachers’ Training Program:

• Unnati Parikh shares:

  Dear Swaminiji and Sonaliji,

  I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful Shine program and the exceptional teacher training. Swaminiji, your vision and blessings have been instrumental in making this initiative impactful for both teachers and children. The Shine program is truly a beautiful embodiment of sharing Dharma in a way that is accessible, authentic, and meaningful for young minds.

  Sonaliji, I am grateful for your dedication and the way you have guided us through the training sessions. Your insights have opened my eyes to new perspectives, and your support has made this journey enriching. The curriculum is incredibly flexible, accommodating both teachers and children, and has provided me with the tools to create an enjoyable and effective learning experience.

  The Shine program is clearly very well thought out, with a curriculum that introduces children to Dharma in a natural and captivating way. The teacher training has been equally remarkable, offering clear guidance and support to foster a positive learning environment. It’s evident that great care and insight have gone into every aspect of this program, allowing both teachers and students to thrive.

  I envision contributing to this program by creating an engaging and nurturing environment where children feel comfortable asking questions and exploring the wisdom of Sanatan Dharma. My focus will be on adapting the teachings to meet the unique needs of each child, making learning fun and approachable through creative activities, stories, and real-life examples. My goal is to inspire curiosity and foster a deep connection to their roots that will guide them throughout their lives.

  Thank you for creating such an empowering and supportive environment. I am excited to contribute to this initiative and make a positive impact on as many children as possible.

   

• Jyoti Dhawan shares:

  Namo Narayan!
  Thank you for putting me through the SHINE program.
  I was rudderless….with only an intense desire to be able to spread the vast depth of knowledge of Sanatana amongst the youth. Your sessions have shown me that direction through a beautifully designed curriculum. I promise to try my best to guide the young minds as learnt from you. Your sessions had clarity and detail, you gave us the liberty to interject with our doubts.
  Immense gratitude🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

  Will be in touch for guidance. Will share pictures/videos of my sessions.

  Best wishes and warmest regards🕉️

   

• Narendra shares:

  I am very much thankful to you for taking me in this amazing programme.

  I felt this as very great opportunity to nurture young minds of India.. and this really showed me a path on how to achieve it. Simple concepts to be covered with a lot of depth.

  These sessions/discussions made me proud of who we are.

  Sonaliji, I see your commitment and clarity on what to be taught to children and make them unbiased on certain things (food habits, rituals, etc)  which teaches me how vigilant one needs to be wrt to children. I learned from you many things, specially what is to be kept in mind while dealing with innocent minds.

  I enjoyed all the sessions and discussions. Very nice to be part of this team.

  And for sure I will definitely reach out you for my doubts. My salutations.

• Rajesh Iyer shares:

  Thank you for all the teaching and mentoring for SHINE.

  You covered a lot in these 12 hours (6 session)
  It was very clear with focused emphasis on the SHINE’s mission.

  The contents is enormous and any teacher can not be lost for ideas and concepts in any class.

  Your sincerity, commitment and passion is very adorable.

  You were very involved patient and motivating each of us to consistently come to class and participate.

  May Ishvara bless you with lot of health and energy to mentor more teachers for SHINE 🙏🙏🙏

   

• Chaitra Pai shares:

  It’s been an enriching week, and I’m walking away with a deeper understanding, admiration, and awe for my faith — along with a renewed appreciation for what Sanatana Dharma truly stands for.

  This training has inspired me further to help our children live and abide by its principles with clarity and confidence. The sessions were insightful, and the resources provided give me both confidence and direction to apply dharmic values in a practical teaching approach.

  A heartfelt thank you to Sonaliji for so lovingly and patiently guiding us through each session.

  I also thoroughly enjoyed the insights shared by my fellow participants — they added great depth and diversity to the discussions.

  One suggestion I’d like to offer is to provide pre-reading materials ahead of the sessions. This could enable more participant-led discussions and deeper engagement with the content.

  I’m looking forward to exploring the curriculum further and to continue learning, growing, and contributing on this path.

  Thank you all so much!

   

• Madhuri Akella shares:

  Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into these sessions. I really value the way you take us through every detail and share such a rich and extensive curriculum. It reflects the depth of your knowledge and experience, and it’s very inspiring.

  At the same time, I felt that the six sessions of two hours each were quite packed. Because you have so much to share, sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming to take in everything at once.

  If I may suggest, perhaps the sessions could be spread into seven classes. The first could simply be an introduction — to get to know the participants’ backgrounds and course goals better. The next five could cover the main topics in the curriculum, and the last one could be for chanting, wrapping up, and summarizing.

  I feel this way the sessions might flow a bit more gently, while still giving us the benefit of all the depth and insights you bring.🙏🏼