About Us

Chinmaya Mission of San Antonio blossomed in 2017 within the tranquil precincts of San Antonio’s Mother Temple, evolving into a sanctuary for spiritual enlightenment and growth. Its purpose: to nurture a haven for Vedanta studies open to all members of the wider San Antonio community. Within its walls resides Sharadamba, the epitome of ultimate knowledge (Brahmavidya), showering her blessings upon our sacred abode. Here, amid the serene ambiance of our center, weekly Satsangs and BalaVihar programs thrive and flourish.

Chinmaya Mission Worldwide

Chinmaya Mission was established in India in 1953 by devotees of the world-renowned Vedanta teacher, His Holiness Swami Chinmayananda.
Guided by His vision, devotees all around the world formed the nucleus of a spiritual renaissance movement that now encompasses a wide range of spiritual, educational, and charitable activities, ennobling the lives of thousands in India and across its borders.
After pujya Swami Chinmayananda’s mahasamadhi in Aug 1993, Pujya Swami Tejomayananda spearheaded the mission. Under His guidance, the mission continued mushrooming across the globe with over 300 centres worldwide. Many new programs like the Chinmaya Naad Bindu, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth etc. that were envisioned by Pujya Swami Chinmayananda, were started successfully under the leadership of pujya Swami Tejomayananda. In Jan 2017, Swami Swaroopananda, took over the administrative leadership of the mission.

More information about CM Worldwide

Chinmaya Mission West (CMW) is the administrative head for all the centers in the US.
More information about CM West

H. H. Swami Tapovan Maharaj

Pujya Swami Tapovan Maharaj was the very embodiment of the ideals of sannyāsa, endowed with supreme renunciation, deep wisdom, saintliness, austerity, and compassion, a true virakta mahātma. Swamiji was born in 1886, in the village of Mudappalur in Palghat district to Balamba and Achutan Nair. His parents named him Subramanyan, but they lovingly called him Chippu Kutty. After the untimely death of his father, Swamiji left his home at the age of 28 to heed the call of the divine, eventually taking up residence in a one-room thatched hut in Uttarkashi, which came to be known as Tapovan Kutir. It was here that Gurudev sat at the feet of the great master for a total of seven years absorbing Vedantic knowledge. Swamiji attained mahāsamādhi on the 16th of January 1957 on the full moon day; in the Brahma-muhūrta at 4:30 a.m. “He came from nowhere, existed everywhere, and ultimately went to be everywhere.”

H. H. Swami Chinmayananda (Gurudev)

Swami Chinmayananda was born on May 8, 1916 as Balakrishna Menon in Ernakulam, Kerala. Chattambi Swamigal a saint known for his yogic powers predicted a great spiritual future for the boy. A major turning point of his life was his meeting with Swami Sivananda. On February 25th, 1949, along with five other students, Balakrishna was initiated into sannyāsa. Swami Sivananda gave him the name “Chinmayananda Saraswati,” Chinmayananda meaning “filled with the bliss of pure Consciousness. Swami Sivananda then sent him to Uttarkashi to study under Swami Tapovan Maharaj. Seven years later, brimming with Vedantic knowledge, with a heart overflowing with love for his countrymen, Swami Chinmayananda was ready to execute what he called the “Gangotri Plan” to spread the message of Vedanta to the masses. By the time he attained mahāsamādhi in August 1993, Gurudev as he is known affectionately by his followers, had conducted 576 jnana yajnas and scores of family oriented spiritual family camps, logging thousands of miles as he traveled across the globe. “If I rest, I rust,” he quipped when asked to slow down. Gurudev is credited with the renaissance of spiritual and cultural values in India and with awakening the rest of the world to the ageless wisdom of Advaita Vedanta as expounded by Adi Shankaracharya. His legacy remains in the form of books, audio and video tapes, schools, and social service projects, Vedanta teachers whom he taught and inspired, and Chinmaya Mission centers around the world serving the spiritual and cultural needs of local communities. He has authored more than 250 books and written commentaries on various scriptural texts. Gurudev attained mahāsamādhi on August 3, 1993.

H. H. Swami Tejomayananda (Guruji)

Swami Tejomayananda, the former head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide is fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit. He has written commentaries on many scriptural texts, translated Swami Chinmayananda’s commentaries into Hindi, and authored a number of original works in Sanskrit. Swamiji excels in expounding upon a wide spectrum of Hindu scriptures, from Ramayāna to the Shrīmad Bhagavad Gīta and the Upanishads. As Gurudev did before him, Guruji, as he is known affectionately, moves around the world at a bewildering pace conducting jnāna yajnas. Sudhakar Kaitwade (as he was previously called) was born in Madhya Pradesh on 30th June 1950. As a student he took a keen interest in music and drama. The spiritual call came to him in 1970 when he heard a Gita discourse given by Swami Chinmayananda. He was inspired to join the Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai. After graduation in 1975, he served in the field for a few years as Brahmachari Vivek Chaitanya and was initiated into sannyāsa by Pujya Gurudev in 1983. Swamiji became the head of the Chinmaya Mission upon Swami Chinmayananda’s mahāsamādhi in August 1993. He assumed his new role with ease and humility, and is working tirelessly to fulfill the vision of his guru. As he puts it, “I am not in Swamiji’s shoes, I am at his feet.”

H. H. Swami Swaroopananda

Formerly the Regional Head of Chinmaya Mission Australia, United Kingdom, Middle East, Africa and Far East, and presently Chairman of the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth Trust (University for Sanskrit and Indic Traditions) and Director of the Chinmaya International Residential School in Coimbatore, South India, Swami Swaroopananda has now been bestowed by Swami Tejomayananda the privilege to also serve as the Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide. 

Our Team

RoleContactEmail
ChairmanSwami Swaroopanandaji
PresidentMothivel Mummudicmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
SecretarySheetal Patelcmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
TreasurerSriram Ramanathancmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
accounting@chinmayasa.org
DirectorVenkat Srinivasancmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
Director of Operations & LogisticsPrasad Shrotricmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
Director of Outreach & MarketingRupa Iyercmsa_board@chinmayasa.org
Balavihar CoordinatorRajee Manibalavihar@chinmayasa.org