Tanamayi was born and raised in rural Tamil Nadu, a southeastern state in India. She earned her B.S. in visual communication from Bharathiyar University in Coimbatore, India. A native speaker of Tamil with advanced proficiency in English, Tanamayi has written songs and poems in both languages. Inspired by the great saints, sages, and scholars of her culture, her poetry has been published in The Hindu, India’s top-selling newspaper. Tanamayi is also a certified Classical Hatha Yoga instructor with more than 1,750 hours of training from the Isha School of Hatha Yoga in India, and she has over 25 years of experience in yoga and meditation.

From a farming family, Tanamayi has always had a passion for preserving and caring for the natural world. She has received formal education in nature awareness since her childhood, and she has been very active in Project GreenHands, an initiative of the Isha Foundation to increase the tree population and green cover in Tamil Nadu. Tanamayi also participates in various wildlife rescue and education programs where she teaches children how to appreciate and care for local flora and fauna.

Tanamayi’s education, experience, and travel have helped her develop skills in a number of areas. In addition to the environmental education already mentioned, she has taught Tamil, photography, videography, graphic design, traditional Indian dance, and gardening at an International School in Coimbatore, India. She also volunteers with her husband at a rural school, Uganda, Africa.