About Us

Guruji Shri Nandkishore Tiwari
Guruji Shri Nandkishore Tiwari is an extraordinarily simple person and this veil of ordinariness hides his yogic and mystic persona. But for true seekers, the ones coming only for Satsang, it doesn’t take much time to discover the miraculous reality beyond this veil. Those who come searching for spirituality in logics, magics and miracles, they go confused with his simplicity. Born in serendipitous hamlet Durkhuru in Jhansi District of Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India, Guruji was a gifted child. At the age of three he showed interest in Ramcharit Manas and started meditation at very early stages of childhood.
Prior to this, Guruji was a journalist and a distinguished editor. Guruji has found self-made spirituality by virtue of his innate curiosity and continuous yoga.
Guruji received the Acharya Chanakya Award – 2018 for his invaluable contributions in the sphere of spirituality. NIMHANS (Bengaluru) appointed Guruji as a philosopher and guide for the inclusion of spiritual perspective in the treatment of patients suffering mostly from addictions and mental diseases.
Guruji is also the founder president of the all India social society “Universal Forum for Human Dignity (year -2002) and the Founder Trustee of the Darpan Foundation (Trust).

Guruma Smita Tiwari
In Kerala, born in such a family where communism and spirituality flowed in such a harmony as if it were same verse sung in their own inimitable styles by different members of family. This mix was so heady that none among them would judge whether they were more communists or more spiritual. When they grew, all other ‘isms’ too got submerged amicably in their harmony. Music was a common companion, all of them in the family thought that he/she was more interested than next person to listen to or talk about it. As a child she would talk to plants and flowers as she would converse with members of our own species.
Later she discovered her interest in Mathematics and completed her Post Graduation in Mathematics from Calicut University. Sooner she got hooked to the field of computer sciences to have a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications. With 22 years’ experience in the IT field, she continues to work with an IT major in Bangalore.
Life, in its own eloquence kept opening itself up, how she herself is, and, rest of it, love did unveil and, later as Guruji former did it reveal. Submergence of childhood transformed into great merger. Immersion and emergence turned one. Blessed with Mrinal as son, engrossed in this shared dream and vision along with all disciples of Guruji, as one/none.

Deepa Chacko
Deepa likes to call herself as Guruji’s disciple first; before the other identities she plays. Living a nondescript life, it was only after meeting Guruji that she realized the vast potential she had in her.
Though her heart was always in social service, she followed the well-trodden path and became yet another software engineer. She holds a BTech Computer Science from NIT, Calicut and has worked in the software industry in varying capacities for 13 years.
She is married to Raghavan and blessed with a daughter. She has been associated with this path since 2013. Under Guruji’s guidance life got a sense of meaning and purpose. Hence, she gave up her corporate job to become a full-time volunteer. She considers it as her biggest blessing to be associated with Guruji where she gets an opportunity to work towards universal welfare.

Raghavan Radhakrishnan
With a Masters degree from BITS-Pilani, Raghavan has been associated with Darpan/UNIFOHD since early 2013. By profession, he is a Technical architect with close to two decades of experience in the software industry, but his passion lies in working for the NGO.
Having been brought up in an atmosphere that encouraged giving back to society, he now finds fulfillment in being closely involved with the numerous social activities carried out by our NGO. For a person who likes travelling, he fondly says “I am now steadily moving on the journey of my life – seeking to know my true self”. He enjoys his family time teaming up with his wife Deepa and daughter Tara.

Elizabeth Sam
Elizabeth Sam, better known as Merlin by all, hails from Kerala but most of her growing up years were spent in Pune. Her father was in the Army, owing to which she has travelled to diverse locations and met people from varied backgrounds. She enjoys being with people, sharing experiences and exchanging ideas.
She married Sam Mathai in 2001 and moved to Bangalore. She has two children Trisha and Tanish.
An HRM graduate from Symbiosis and a Masters in Labour Laws from the University of Pune, she has a decade of work experience encompassing various roles in HR and Operations. She enjoyed working in the corporate sector, the challenges and the learning, at the same time she was not ok about being unable to give much time to her children. She finally decided to be a stay at home mom and do justice to her role as a parent.
She has been involved with different NGOs and in 2016, she became a part of Sahaj Smriti Yog (SSY). She is an active member in the community where she stays and when at home, you may find her cooking, attending to her organic terrace garden, listening to music and singing along or just sitting in conversation with her family and friends.
She is extremely emotional, ruled completely by her heart. She may appear lost at times, failing to make sense of this life. Since her association with SSY, she feels less lost and is definitely able to understand life events in a better light.

Apurva Singh
A MBA post-graduate from IIM Bangalore in Marketing and graduate from BITS-Pilani, she has over 7 years working experience in IT industry.
She was interested in social work and giving back to the society since childhood. According to her, principle of karma has always been the guiding principle of her life, but its true meaning and efficacy was only revealed when she walked on the path laid by Guruji. She is able to see every work in completely different light now, which deepens her sense of satisfaction.
Happily married to Chandan, she feels blessed to walk the SSY path together with him. Apart from deeply engaging in the ashram activities, she enjoys travelling to new places and cooking new healthy cuisines.

Chandan Singh
Chandan is one of the newest addition to Darpan foundation. He has an education in engineering and business administration from IIT Kanpur and IIM Calcutta respectively, and has worked in various sectors from manufacturing to banking- finance (shop-floors to cubicles).
He describes himself as a curious kid, with a great appetite for knowledge, ready to throw away himself into each and everything he likes. With the limited experience of life, he was able to make out that the offerings of the world only gave him a very short-lived satisfaction and left him hungry. The search for a permanent solution for his hunger finally culminated when he met Guruji and got initiated on the path of Sahaj Smriti Yog (SSY). The hunger has become limitless now.
According to him, he involves in the activities of ashram as it helps him to move closer to reality and help him grow as a being, giving him a deep sense of satisfaction and purpose. His life partner Apurva (also a disciple of Guruji), who supports him ceaselessly in all his endeavours.

Meenakshi Raman
A literature Postgraduate with PG Diploma in Tourism by education, a Leisure Holiday and MICE specialist by profession, an army child (not brat) by up bringing, reader of books and a history buff by choice.
A dreamer with one finger in every available pie. She is married to Prabhuram (also a satsangi Sahaj Smriti Yog practitioner) and they have 2 children.
Drawn to the organisation by the multitude of social and environmental causes that were supported and nurtured she has found a new perspective with which to view known ideas -to see herself as a part of a whole where faith and trust could replace skepticism and doubt.

Nirmala Devi Dhanasekar
Nirmala Devi (Alias Narmadha) was born in small town Erode, TN in an agricultural family. She took education very seriously among her siblings from age of 15 as soon as she discovered how education can provide different facets of life skills and abilities. First Girl in family to get educated and complete Masters in Engineering at GCT, Coimbatore with distinction and working in corporates for past 2 decades in product development and senior management.
Married to Dhanasekar, true seeker of love and spirituality. Blessed by 2 lovely kids, son Sarveshwaran and daughter Jooshika.
Engaged in journey of exploration of life to bring new reality in life, she met guruji in 2017 and got initiated on the path of SSY. Inspired by Guruji’s vision of giving back to society with Right food to Soul, Self, Mind and Body, she got closely associated with Darpan Foundation. It gives her immense pleasure and fulfilment to serve rural communities, connect back to natural ecosystem which helps her to find her purpose in life and connects her to The true self.