Retired Directors

Dr. Shiv D. Talwar is a founding member of Spiritual Heritage Education Network Inc. He also has served on its Board of Directors as its president since its very inception in year 2000.

Shiv received his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Punjab University in India, Master’s in civil engineering from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo in Ontario. During his professional career, he taught at Thapar College of Engineering in Patiala, India and served as the Coordinator of Civil Engineering at Conestoga College in Kitchener, ON, Canada.

Shiv's education in spiritual and ethical direction began informally in India on early morning walks when his parents used to engage him in discussion on such matters. This informal introduction was followed by some excellent formal education in scheduled courses at school. It is still continuing, thanks to his spiritual mentor Late Swami Vishwatma Bawra.

This education continues to enrich his life and shape his values in a significant way. Shiv researches, develops, delivers and promotes education in the wisdom underlying the religious and scientific heritage of humanity to cultivate the spirit of inclusion and love for all existence. Shiv’s work is intended to be used for raising consciousness for the care of each other and that of the planet on which we live.

Dr. Zachariah served on the SHEN board of directors from July 14, 2008 to Sept 15, 2011. During this period, he made significant contributions to the operation of the organization.

SHEN owes a strong community outreach program to Dr. Zachariah's initiatives. He and his wife, Lois Zachariah, have a strong sense of service to the marginalized in society. They initiated programs in stress management to help the clients of the Grand River Hospital seeking practical tools to deal with their particular substance addictions. They also initiated a similar program to serve the current inmates in the local jails and those trying to rehabilitate back into the society at large.

Another significant contribution of Dr. Zachariah and his wife is the installation of mindful listening process in running the SHEN stakeholders' meetings and conferences on Education to Globalize the Human Mind. This process gives everyone present a chance of expressing their feelings in two rounds while the others listen non-judgmentally in a mindful manner. Conference participants evaluate the process as an effective tool of deepening an individual's the conference experience. SHEN stakeholders hold the process in high esteem as it results in focused meetings increasing their efficiency together with the enhancement of deep heart5 to heart communication between them.

Dr. Zachariah, in asking to be relieved from board duties, has assumed the responsibility of reviewing the SHEN proc3dures and bye-laws and advise on further streamlining the workings of SHEN. Dr. Zachariah felt that he must be outside the board for discharging this responsibility in a fair way without any conflict of interest.