Conference Speakers
BAVA has had the honour of these illustrious astrologers lecturing at the annual conferences:

INDIA
Pandit Sanjay Rath
belongs to a traditional family of astrologers from Bira Balabhadrapur Sasan in Puri, Orissa. Internationally renowned and respected, he uses Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra, Jaimini Upadesa Sutras, Brihat Jataka and Saravali as the foundations of Jyotisha and also incorporates other Jyotish scriptures and sacred Vedic literature in his teachings. Author: Crux of Vedic Astrology, Remedial Measures in Astrology, Narayana Dashas and Jaimini’s Upadesa Sutras.
Website www.srath.com

Dr K S Charak
has studied and practised astrology for over 20 years, with a special emphasis on Medical Astrology. He is the author of several books on Vedic Astrology including the Essentials of Medical Astrology, A Text Book of Varshaphal, Predictive Techniques in Varshaphal, Elements of Vedic Astrology and Yogas in Vedic Astrology. He is the Founder and Editor of the Vedic Astrology magazine. He is also an eminent surgeon and is presently head of the Surgery Department in the Indira Gandhi E.S.I Hospital, New Delhi.

Jyoti Trehan
has been studying and researching Vedic astrology since 1981 in India. He has immense knowledge of the subject and works with Vedic Astrology on an intellectual level. He comes from a family tradition of Jyotish. Astrology is a passion for him rather than a profession. He is a distinguished Police Officer and is currently an Inspector General of Police with the Indian Police Force.

Kailasnath Krishnan
is a leading expert in the ancient art and science of Prashna of Kerala. Kailashnath conducted the Ashta Mangala Prashna at the ACVA Conference in Kerala. He counts top politicians, celebrities and top industrialist among his clients. His Dharma is to educate and promote the knowledge of Kerala Prashna.

Prof. V K Choudhry
has gained world wide recognition as the creator of the 'Systems Approach' as applied to the interpretations of Horoscopes and Divisional charts. He was conferred the title of Jyotish Kovid, Jyotish Bhanu and Jyotish Martand. His books include Self Learning Course in Vedic Astrology, Divisional Charts and How to Identify Key Events in Life.

Vinay Aditya
is the author of a famous book on the Ashtakavarga called 'Dots of Destiny'. He has been practising and teaching Vedic Astrology for the past fifteen years. He is Associate Editor of the Vedic Astrology bi-monthly published from India. He was awarded the title Jyotish Vachaspati by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS) while he holds a degree in engineering from IIT Kanpur, India. He has conducted many workshops in Vedic Astrology at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, ACVA, BAVA and DGVA (Germany).

CANADA
Andrew Foss
is the President and co-founder of BAVA and has been studying and teaching Vedic Science for 30 years. He is the author of Shri Jyoti Star, leading computer software for Vedic Astrology. He writes, consults and teaches and lectures at many international conferences. He is Adjunct Professor of Jyotish at the Hindu University of America. Andrew resides in Edmonton, Canada and offers tuition and courses for beginners and the most advanced by telephone. www.vedicsoftware.com

Jeffery Armstrong
has degrees in History & Comparative Religion, Psychology and Literature. He has over 30 years experience as a Vedic Astrologer and is an initiate of Yoga, Tantra and Mantra practices for the 35 years. Author: God (Goddess) the Astrologer which was awarded Independent Publishers: New Age Book of the Year. Watch Jeffrey Armstrong prove that vedic astrology works on You Tube> Website www.jeffreyarmstrong.com

USA
Brendan Feeley M.A., D.Ay.
has practiced astrology since 1975 and he has a particular interest in the medical application of vedic astrology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. He currently practices Vedic Astrology, classical homeopathy, and Ayurveda in Washington, DC.

Chakrapani Ullal
is a world-renowned Vedic astrologer from Kerala, South India. He was born into a family of illustrious astrologers and has had contact with many of the leading spiritual teachers of India. He travels extensively to teach and meet his international clientele. He holds a degree in business studies and law and has been awarded the titles of Jyotish Kovid and Jyotish Vachaspati by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. His gentle and unassuming manner and his insights born of a lifetime of study and practice have endeared him to many. Chakrapani maintains a busy practice in Los Angeles where he is consulted by people from all over the world, and from all walks of life. www.vedicastrology.com

Christina Collins Hill
is Director of the Academy for Vedic Studies in Boulder, Colorado. She has done thousands of consultations, including among her clients many celebrities. She is on the Editorial Board of the ACVA Journal.

Dr David Frawley
Is President of the American Council of Vedic Astrology (ACVA), and a prolific author of books such as Astrology of the Seers and Ayurveda and the Mind. He has also authored the definitive correspondence courses in Vedic Astrology and Ayurveda. Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is a rare combination of a yogi, Vedic scholar, Ayurvedic doctor, Vedic astrologer and teacher of Hindu Dharma. He teaches Vedic subjects in harmony with the classical traditions of India and as part of a spiritual path of inner practice. He is widely regarded as the West’s leading Vedic scholar. www.vedanet.com

Dennis Flaherty
is the first elected President of the Council of Vedic Astrologers, and one of the original founding board members of the American Council of Vedic astrology. He is a past president of the Washington State Astrological association and has served four terms on the board of AFAN, the association for astrological networking. He is the author of Mythic Measurements of the Moon's Nodes and The Eastern Moon Through Western Eyes.
See www.vedicsciences.com

Dennis Harness PhD
is a professional astrologer with a doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology. He was awarded the titiles of Jyotish Kovid and Jyotish Vachaspati by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Dr. Harness is the Executive Vice-President of the American Council of Vedic Astrology in Sedona, Arizona. He is the author of The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology which is published by Lotus Press.

Dr Dinesh Sharma
comes from a family that has been dedicated to the Vedic traditions for the last four generations. He has a degree in AyurVeda, has studied Astrology at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi, and is also expert in Vastu (Vedic architecture). He has travelled throughout the world giving consultations in Astrology, Ayurveda, and Vastu. He is the author of Divisional Charts.

Drupada John Macdonald
Drupada has been involved with Vedic astrology since 1989. A student of the raja yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, his interest is in using astrology as a tool for spiritual growth and transformation.
Since 1982 Drupada has been a member of the Ananda Sangha Community in California, inspired by the teachings of Yogananda. See www.expandinglight.org

Edith Hathaway
has been a professional astrologer since 1980 with an international reputation as a consultant, writer, teacher and lecturer. She is reputed both for her knowledge of Vedic and Tropical astrology. Her major writing since the early 1990s has been on Vedic astrology after writing Navigating by the Stars on Western astrology including relocation.

Gary Gomes
is a faculty member of the ACVA and has trained in many Vedic disciplines and lectured on Jyotish in a wide variety of professional settings.

G Krishnan
was initiated into Vedic Astrology at the age of 12 by his Guru (late) Raja Iyer. He held the position of Chief Engineer in the Indian Railways at Bombay. He has over 40 years experience as a Vedic Astrologer and was the past chairman of the Bombay Chapter of Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. He was awarded the Jyotish Vachaspathi by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. He is the author of Ashtaka Varga made simple for the western Astrologer and Vedic Astrology series -2, Stock Market Analysis. He resides in Texas.

Howard Beckman (Hamsavatar)
is a Vedic astrologer and planetary gemologist. He is author of An Introduction to Vedic Astrology and Mantras, Yantras & Fabulous Gems and has spent 30 years delving into the spiritual principles embodied within.

James Kelleher
was introduced to astrology in 1975 by the well known Indian Astrologer MK Gandhi. Gandhi predicted that Jim would become an astrologer. After studying in India, Jim worked for five years as Gandhi’s assistant in London. He is on the steering committee of ACVA and the board of the American College of Vedic Astrology. He is the author of Path of Light (2 vols). Jim has a regular newsletter andhas been leading groups to India for the past 7 years. Jim has a busy private practice in Los Gatos, California. See www.jameskelleher.com

Joni Patry
has lectured at many national and international conferences and is the keynote speaker for national and international conferences, and has been on national television and radio in the USA. Her clientele includes the who’s who of America and Hollywood celebrities.She is the author of Eastern Astrology for Western Minds: A compilation of Neo-Vedic Astrology is a complete manual to learn Vedic astrology. Most recently her book Awaken to the Truth was written to inspire others to seek our true reality. www.galacticcenter.org

Hank Friedman
is author of the book Astrology On Your Personal Computer and has written numerous articles on astrology as well as software reviews for The Mountain Astrologer, American Astrology, and the A.F.A. Bulletin. His website has extensive information on astrology. Hank Friedman offers his metaphysical services to clients in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the world via telehone. www.soulhealing.com

Nalini (Tom Hopke)
has been a consulting vedic astrologer since 1978. He is the author of How to Read your Horoscope and The Divine Path of Prediction - A Month in the Life of a Vedic Astrologer. He is a practitioner of Bhakti Yoga. He resides in Alachua Florida. www.tomhopke.com

Ronnie Gale Dreyer
Ronnie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English/Theater Arts from the University of New Mexico, and studied Jyotish. She is the Author of Vedic Astrology, Healing Signs, Your Sun Moon Guide to Love and Life and Venus, the Evolution of the Goddess and Her Planet. She is also a contributor to 'Astrology for Women, Hindu Astrology Lessons and Llewellyn's 1998 Sun and Moon Sign Annuals. She is a frequent speaker at both Vedic and Western astrology conferences. www.ronniedreyer.com

Sat Siri Khalsa
is a Harvard graduate and specialises in prediction using the Krishnamurti system of Nakshatra-based 'stellar theory'. She has had articles published in various journals including KP & Astrology Yearbook (India). Sat Siri has lectured around the world on various topics including spiritual astrology, financial astrology, and how to time and predict events. She is on the Board of Directors of the Council of Vedic Astrology and the faculty of the American College of Vedic Astrology. She has been named as a Jyotish Guru by the Sri Jagannath Center. www.satsirikhalsa.com

Swami SitaRamananda
is a spiritual teacher in the lineage of Sankaracharya. Her guru is Swami Vishnu-devananda whose guru is Swami Sivananda. She has spent most of her life practicing and teaching the classical Yoga and meditation methods and she also teaches Jyotish. She is the head of the Grass Valley Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm www.yogafarm.org where she resides and teaches. It is an ideal place to come for daily satsangs and practices, actualizing the teachings of the Masters. She has authored various books. www.swamisita.com

William Levacy
Holds a BA in literature and a Masters in Creative Intelligence. He has run a busy Los Angeles Vedic Astrology practice since 1983. Bill has developed astrological computer systems and a Vedic Panchanga. Hay House publishers has just released his new book called Beneath the Vedic Sky - An Introduction to the astrology of Ancient India.

EUROPE
Alexander Lubenskis
is a student and teacher of Ayurveda and Jyotish and is the leading exponent in his country of Latvia.

Atreya Smith
is an Ayurvedic consultant with a practice that extends across Europe. He has written several books including Pranic Healing, his speciality.

Denis Labouré
is the past President of the leading French language astrological institute and the founder of l’Institut d’Astrologie Traditionnelle. He created and edits the review La Recherche Astrologique and was the editor of the collection Kosmos. He is the author of several books and has translated two classic texts including Prasna Gnana of Bhattotpala.

Gudrun Schellenbeck
has been working as a professional Astrologer since 1992 and frequently writes articles on Vedic Astrology for all the leading German Astrological Magazines. She is co-author of the “Praxisbuch der Vedischen Astrologie”, which was published in July 2002 and founded the German Association for Vedic Astrology together with Nicholas Lewis in 2000. She teaches Vedic Astrology in Germany and Austria.

Himabindu
Mireille-Josephine Guezennec is a professor of philosophy. For the last 20 years she has been regularly travelling in India and Asia and studied Vedic Astrology for many years in Madras through the classical texts. She has been teaching and practising since 1985 in France where she is also known as a photographer.

Jan Willem van Doorn
studied Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy at the University in the Netherlands. He has been an active student for about thirty years in Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit and related sciences, one of which is Jyotisha Vedanga. In Amsterdam he has been leading Vedic Astrology groups for about twenty years. He is a Bachelor of Arts in Jyotish (ACVA).

Roeland de Loof
is the author of first book in the Dutch language about Vedic Astrology. Also author of the hindu lunar zodiac cards and booklet. He has authored two courses in Vedic Astrology which have been taken by people all over the world. Dirah Academy International is a member of the Council of Vedic Astrologers (CVA), the British Association for Vedic Astrology (BAVA), the International Institute for Predictive Astrology (IIPA) and the Planetary Gemologists Association (PGA). www.dirah.nl

Prof Jaya Shekhar
is a great exponent of Jyotish with an extensive following both in India and Europe. He is the author of various books including The Best Bet, and the forthcoming Shadbala. Jaya Sekhar has been the President of the Institute of Astrological Studies, Madras; the Vice-president of the Institute of Indian Astrology, Calcutta; and Research Director of the astrological section of Bharat Nirman, New Delhi. He has presented papers, given conferences and conducted workshops on varied subjects such as palmistry, Vasthu and Hindu philosophy and yoga.

UK
Geoffrey Pearce
has been studying and practicing Vedic Astrology since 1986. He is an accredited teacher by the American Council of Vedic Astrology and a member of their Council. He learnt most of his Vedic Astrology from Hart deFouw in England and USA. He holds regular weekly classes in London. Geoffrey has given many public lectures on the philosophy and principles behind the subject and is also BAVA Treasurer. www.vediccharts.co.uk

Gordon Brennan
is a professional astrologer and dealer in Vedic astrology books. He teaches the BAVA courses and is tutor for SJC Study Group. Gordon is a BAVA committee member.

Komilla Sutton

Mariella Cassar
D.F.Astrol.S., R.C.Astrol., is a graduate of the Faculty of Astrological Studies in London. She works as a full time astrologer in London and uses both Western and Vedic Astrology in her consultations.

Nick Campion
is the President of the Astrological Association of Great Britain. He is the author of The Book of World Horoscopes, The Practical Astrologer and Mundane Astrology. He is the editor of Culture and Cosmos and Transit.

Pam Carruthers
has an extensive background as a counselling astrologer and was a successful Art Director for over 20 years. She works as a Vedic astrologer, Life Coach and Psychology of Vision trainer facilitating healing workshops in the Uk and internationally. See her website www.healingstars.com 
Pam is the Webmaster for BAVA and she designed this website. www.pamcarruthersdesign.com

Pearl Finn
conducts classes and personal consultations at "Pearls of Wisdom", Galway, Ireland. She is a student and Guru with SJVC, Shri Jagannath Vedic Centre, a Jyotish Internet site guided by Sanjay Rath.

Rajan Pitamber
is a biochemist and businessman and long-time student of VA, specialising in Prashna/Horary astrology.

Steve Hubball
has published several articles and research studies, and is the UK teacher for Dirah Academy which offers email correspondence courses in Vedic Astrology. Steve Hubball has published several articles and research studies, and is the UK teacher for Dirah Academy which offers email correspondence courses in Vedic Astrology. Steve lives in Carlisle, Cumbria.
email Steve Hubball