Dr. Sanjeev Bedi is Professor of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo for the past 28 years. At University of Waterloo he was a key player in the design and implementation of the Mechatronics Engineering program. Since its inception in 2003, Mechatronics program has evolved into a premier program of the Faculty of Engineering. In addition, Prof. Bedi has authored many research articles and supervised graduate students, many of whom are leading their own initiatives in different universities and companies all over the world. Prof. Bedi has been involved with SHEN from the very onset and is proud of its goals and achievements.
Board of Directors
As an organization, the Spiritual Heritage Education Network Inc. (SHEN) came into existence on September 15, 2000 as Ontario Corporation Number 1434906. The board of directors of SHEN are responsible for the conduct of its business and keeping it focused on the objectives to which SHEN is dedicated.
Our directors receive no remuneration and serve purely for the love of humanity and the planet. Their lives are dedicated to promote, develop and deliver education to build bridges across the hearts and minds of diverse humanity.
This listing includes all those who are currently serving SHEN as its directors.
Jivasu is an Indian physician and founder of the Somatofulness teachings. Somatofulness is discovering the body’s power to heal trauma, attain mental health, and arrive at self-realization.
Along with his wife Karen, a Canadian doctor, he served in the remote villages of the Indian Himalayas for 11 years. Later he studied acupuncture in Sri Lanka and Canada and mind-body medicine at Harvard Medical School.
He taught acupuncture, mind-body medicine, Yoga, Meditation, Kundalini Yoga, and Nada Yoga teacher training in Canada, Rishikesh, India, and other countries.
He is the author of many yoga training manuals and books, including Naturality; Somatofulness or awakening of the body’s power; How to raise a happy, wholesome, and body-wise child in a turbulent world, and Meditation – The art and science of relaxation, awareness, and expansion of awareness.
Fred is a seasoned hotel industry professional with a background and experience in all aspects of the business. A charismatic leader with over 30 years of results and relationships built from progressive leadership roles in the hospitality industry, active academic and community board memberships.
He has held senior portfolios with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts which have included managing hotels from as small as 185 rooms to the largest hotel (1430 rooms) in Canada, Director of Acquisitions and Development, global Director of Training. In his career with Fairmont he was seconded to Avendra as VP and GM, to manage and develop operations in Canada. Avendra is the largest hotel purchasing company in North America. The company was founded jointly by Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels and Club Corp. Under Fred’s management, a number of hotel/contract food service operations were added to Avendra Canada’s structure including HMS Host, Accor Hotels, Four Seasons, Centennial Hotels, and Silver Seas Cruise Lines etc.
Fred was promoted by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International to Vice President of Procurement worldwide. He set up a procurement/purchasing structure for Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Fred is a graduate of Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada) with a B.Comm and BAA in Hospitality and Tourism Management and has undertaken specialised skills development throughout his career at Cornell University (US), University of Guelph (Canada) and the in-house Canadian Pacific Hotels corporate training programmes.
He presently sits on the advisory committee for Ryerson University Hospitality and Tourism Program and is a member of innovation committee for George Brown College’ hospitality management Chef’s school. He is a board member and passed executive on the board of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association.
Fred is presently part of a North America hotel advisory group member called G7 Hospitality Inc.
Prof. Kamran Mofid is Founder of the Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative (founded at an international conference in Oxford in 2002) and Co- founder/Editor, Journal of Globalisation for the Common Good, hosted at Purdue University, USA, member of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of the World Public Forum, Dialogue of Civilisations, and Founding Member, World Dignity University, and Global Advisory Board, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies. Mofid received his BA and MA in economics from the University of Windsor, Canada in 1980 and 1982 respectively. In 1986 he was awarded his doctorate in economics from the University of Birmingham, UK. In 2001 he received a Certificate in Education in Pastoral Studies at Plater College, Oxford. From 1980 to 2000 he was Economic Teaching Assistant, Tutor, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Universities of Windsor (Canada), Birmingham, Bristol, Wolverhampton, and Coventry (UK). Mofid's work is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on Economics, Business, Politics, International Relations, Theology, Culture, Ecology, Ethics and Spirituality. Mofid's writings have appeared in leading scholarly journals, popular magazines and newspapers. His books include Development Planning in Iran: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic , The Economic Consequences of the Gulf war, Globalisation for the Common Good, Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Globalisation for the Common Good , Promoting the Common Good (with Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke, 2005), and A non-Violent Path to Conflict Resolution and Peace Building (Co-authored, 2008).
Dr. Vijay R. Solanki is a 1976 graduate of dentistry from the University of Toronto. He has been in private practice in Kitchener, Ontario for 22 years. Born to devout Hindu parents in Johannesburg, South Africa, he was sent to India at the age of 11 years to escape the oppressive system of apartheid. Eight years in India formed a basis for his interest in the universal message found in Indian scriptures. Married to Brenda L. Hutton in 1971, the couple have four lovely children...Jay, Raj, Ram and Jyoti.
Spiritual Heritage Education Network (SHEN) comes at a time when the world has shrunk to a truly Global Village. Instant communication and supersonic travel have made the once remote cultures of the world take a closer look at each other and indeed a gradual reappraisal is under way of one's value systems to accommodate the larger global human community. SHEN will help this worthy cause leading to a world full of respect for all life and harmony amongst the 5+ billion humans inhabiting our Planet Earth.
Dr. Solanki is spiritually inspired by the teachings of Brahmarishi Vishwatma Bawra
Sanjiv Talwar is an international senior financial executive with over 25 years of experience in multinational banking institutions in Canada, Europe and Asia. Mr. Talwar focused on the use of advanced quantitative techniques for value generation, integrated risk and capital management as well as e-commerce. In addition to Spiritual Heritage Education Network Inc. (SHEN), Sanjiv currently is on the advisory board for Banyan Investment Group. Dr. Talwar holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Sanjiv joined the Board of SHEN in May 2018 after participating in its activities in various capacities over the years. With his background of aerospace engineering, Dr. Talwar is particularly interested in participating in the process of developing education to globalize the human mind on a meaningful, scientific and solid ground.
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.