About Us
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Mission
The Regeneration Generation Initiative, a project of the Shakti Regeneration Institute (a 501(c)3 nonprofit), is dedicated to ecosystem preservation and regeneration, with a strong focus on empowering Indigenous peoples and women worldwide. Guided by six key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions, quality education, reduced inequalities, life on land, and partnerships for the goals—we strive to address the urgent environmental and social crises of our time. Through powerful collaborations with leaders across creative industries, entertainment, science, technology, finance, storytelling, art, and social movements, we seek to inspire and mobilize global action for a sustainable and just future.
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Vision
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Our vision is to awaken public consciousness, shift cultural attitudes, and inspire transformative action through impactful art, education, advocacy, and innovation. By empowering Indigenous-led and women-led regeneration, we foster transformative influence and catalyze social movements, working together to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.​
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Overview
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With over 2 billion impressions worldwide from our multimedia campaigns—spanning images, films, and public service announcements that inspire positive change—our foundation has also directly supported the education of more than 8,000 students. Founded in 1994 as Shakti Empowerment Education (SEEschool.org), we operate from offices in Virginia, USA; Acre, Brazil; and West Bengal, India. We are recognized for our pioneering work in regenerative, equality-focused empowerment through literacy and neurodiversity education, vocational training, micro-financing, homeopathic medicine, anti-trafficking efforts, and frontline community support for low-income women, children, and marginalized and Indigenous communities.
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Recognitions
Our work has been recognized by esteemed organizations and platforms worldwide, including the United Nations, where we received a Women’s Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellowship; the Global People's Summit; and the Science Summit at the United Nations. We have been honored by Rotary International with the Max Mark-Cranbrook Global Peacemakers Award, received the Best Picture Award from CNN Exposé, and achieved semifinalist status in the X-PRIZE Rainforest competition. Our contributions have been celebrated at the Harvard Kennedy School Carr Center’s Pride & Progress Symposium, Princeton University’s The Art of Social Justice, and the Tribeca Film Festival, where we were awarded the Disruptive Innovation Award.
"The work that this organization is doing, with so much compassion, this must inspire us all." -- Suhel Seth, Journalist.
Leadership
"Internationally recognized for her extensive work on social causes” (Priyanka Dasgupta, Times of India)
Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri Founder & Executive Director
Born in Bengal and raised volunteering with Mother Teresa and the Ramakrishna Mission, Indrani co-founded Shakti Regeneration Institute and SEEschool as a teen after a life-changing pilgrimage across India. Mentored by David Bowie and Iman, she is an acclaimed artist and TEDx speaker, known for her powerful work mobilizing movements through art and storytelling. She has collaborated with over 25 nonprofits and 300 global brands, earning honors like the United Nations Women’s Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellowship, the Max Mark-Cranbrook Global Peacemaker Award, Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award, and 2 Cannes Gold Lions. Her work is showcased at venues including the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, Lincoln Center, and Center Pompidou, and has appeared on HBO, BBC, The New York Times, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. Founder of Open Origin and DXStudios, she is a Princeton alumna with High Honors in Anthropology, and a visiting lecturer at Princeton on “Mobilizing Millions with Art and Film for Social Change.” www.indrani.com
Ajay Pal-Chaudhuri Founder & Chairman
Ajay Pal-Chaudhuri grew up in his family’s historic home in West Bengal, India, inspired by his mother's encouragement of education and his father’s dedication to spirituality and service. From an early age, Ajay developed a commitment to helping those in need. Educated at the Ramakrishna Ashram Vidyapith in Bihar and Calcutta University, he later moved to London to become a Certified Chartered Accountant, gaining skills to support his philanthropic goals. Ajay returned to Kolkata as CFO of British Oxygen, where he volunteered with Mother Teresa and the Ramakrishna Mission. His career then took him to the UK and Canada, where he held prominent roles, fostering his vision to one day give back to his homeland. After retiring, Ajay returned to India to co-found a charitable school and foundation with his daughter Indrani, transforming their family home into a center of learning and empowerment. Now in his late-80s, he continues to inspire students and teachers, sharing his wisdom, words, and music to nurture future leaders and change-makers, fueling the foundation’s mission and making a lasting impact on the lives of countless children and families.
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GK Reid Producer & Chief Operating Officer
GK Reid is a purpose-driven producer, regenerative designer, and climate advocate. Focused on shifting global consciousness to ecosystems regeneration, he is described as “A Renaissance man” (Soma), for his multifaceted collaborative approach across films, marketing, events, design, music, fashion, and social justice advocacy. His work has raised over 2 billion impressions and millions of dollars for impact organizations such as Keep A Child Alive, the American Cancer Society, Nanhi Kali, and the Science Summit at the United Nations. The son of a healer and life-long practitioner of Curandera and Ayurveda, GK was raised between a spiritual community in New Mexico and boarding school in India, learning yoga, sword-fighting, and serving thousands daily at the Golden Temple. In London's club culture, Isabella Blow inspired GK’s creative explorations, and his first commissions by David Bowie and Iman launched his artist collaborations with Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and many others. As Chief Operating Officer of Shakti Regeneration Institute, and Chief Communications Officer at Open Origin, he combines his humanitarian work with practical solutions and movements to empower Indigenous people worldwide.
Craig Hatkoff Board of Advisors
Hatkoff is cofounder of the Tribeca Film Festival, the Disruptor Foundation and Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards, with the father of disruptive innovation theory, Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen. Hatkoff began his career at Chemical Bank, a pioneer of the real estate securitization industry, and cofounded Capital Trust, serving as a board member and chairman. He is co-author and founder of Turtle Pond Publications, a leading publisher of Scholastic children’s books, including #1 New York Times bestseller Owen & Mzee. He received his MBA from Columbia Business School where he is an adjunct professor, and he created the course on Disruptive Innovation. He serves on the NYSE Board of Directors for SL Green (SLG), Colony Capital (CLNY), Taubman Centers Inc (TCO). His Non-Profit boards past and present include Mandela Institute for Humanity, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation, Scholastic Young Artist & Writers Awards, Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation, Wildlife Direct, and Wild Bird Fund.
Txukukaytxi Rosa'ne Puyanawa Board of Advisors & Director of Indigenous Communications
Txukukaytxi Rosane, is a proud Indigenous Youth Activist and communications facilitator for the Puyanawa Tribe of Guardians of the Amazon, in Acre, Brazil. At 20 years old, she is also a spiritual guide, leading ceremonies at home and across the world. An advocate of Indigenous culture and music, she is a talented artist and singer, and recently released her album “Puya Tour Adetera”. Rosane traveled to Singapore as a Semifinalist in the XPRIZE Rainforest on the ACTNOW Amazonas team, and is a speaker at the Science Summit at the United Nations during the General Assembly 2023.
Sherif Nahas Board Member
Sherif Nahas has been the director of private equity and real assets at the Ford Foundation since July 2009. Prior to joining Ford, he served as the director private equity and real assets at University of Virginia Investment Management Company for eight years. He is currently a board member at the Reset Foundation, a movement to disrupt the prison to poverty cycle. Nahas holds an MBA in finance from the University of Michigan and an M.E. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia. He also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
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Tom DeSanto Board of Advisors
Tom DeSanto is the founding writer/producer behind the X-Men and Transformers films, some of the biggest franchises in movie history, grossing more than $6 billion worldwide at the box office, in addition to billions more in home video, merchandising, and video games. These films series were inspired by social justice themes, and explore the intersection of technology and humanity. DeSanto has also produced several social issue documentaries including Lost in America which deals with youth homelessness and Kidnapped for Christ, which puts a spotlight on abusive evangelical camps for children. During the pandemic DeSanto co-founded Facts2Health in partnership with the CDC Foundation to activate Hollywood to help in messaging in the battle against COVID-19. DeSanto created the Heroes Wear Masks campaign which enlisted pop culture heroes to join the global battle against the virus, which helped change the narrative on wearing masks - helping people understand that you wear a mask to protect others. The campaign was cited for excellence in social media in 2021. DeSanto’s world-building continues into the world of digital medicine as he is a Co-Founder of NeuroAnimation. The company uses computer animation and virtual reality to help people recover from stroke and other neurological medical issues. The cutting-edge technology is twice the current standard of care for stroke recovery.
Puwe Puyanawa Board Member
One of the main spiritual and social leaders of the Puyanawa Tribe, known as Protectors of the Amazon, in Acre, Brazil, Puwe has a degree in Biological Sciences, and is a teacher at Ixubay Rabui School. As President of the Puyanawa Community Association he has dedicated 30 years to rescuing and preserving the Amazon, Indigenous culture, and spiritual traditions. He has been working with sacred medicine for 16 years. In 2013, with his mentor Benki Piyãko, he began traveling to make known their community's history and seek support from the global community for their work in protecting the forests and biodiversity. Puwe is a Semifinalist in the XPRIZE Rainforest on the ACTNOW Amazonas team, and a speaker at the Science Summit at the United Nations during the General Assembly 2023.
Swati Bhatt Board of Advisors
Swati Bhatt received her Ph.D. from the Princeton Economics Department in 1986 and has been a faculty member there since 1992. Her research includes the economics of digitization and industrial organization with a focus on the technology industry. She is a Faculty Fellow of Forbes and the Scholars Institute Fellows Program, Director of Student Programs at the Bendheim Center for Finance, on the Princeton Rhodes and Marshall Committees, and has supervised over 150 senior theses. Her publications include How Digital Communication Technology Shapes Markets (2017), The Attention Deficit: Unintended Consequences of Digital Connectivity (2019), and Entrepreneurship Today: The Resurgence of Small Technology-Driven Businesses (2022). Previously, Bhatt was a research economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and taught at New York University's Stern School of Business.
Eugene Brave Rock Board of Advisors
Brave Rock is one of the best-known Indigenous actors worldwide, with his hard-hitting roles in AMC's Dark Winds and The Stranger, and his standout role as "The Chief" in Wonder Woman (2017) alongside Gal Gadot. He advocated to bring the first Blackfoot words spoken on the silver screen, and to bring Blackfoot mythology to life with his character, setting up the first Indigenous superhero. An advocate of ecological, cultural, and linguistic regeneration, Brave Rock is the founder of the OKI Language Project. Born and raised near the Rocky Mountains on the Kainai (Blood) Reserve, he began his career as a stunt person in "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show" at Euro Disney in France, and worked on the Oscar-winning film "The Revenant." He is a keynote speaker at institutions such as Princeton University for “The Art of Social Justice and Anti-Racism,” Slought at University of Pennsylvania on “Representation, Symbolization, and Indigeneity,” Stanford University on "Indigenous Food Sovereignty," and the Science Summit at the United Nations on “Digital Democracy for Climate Action.”
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Krishna Palchaudhuri School Principal
Krishna has dedicated her life to empowering the most low-income children and women of India. After losing her parents as a child, she took on the responsibility of raising her many younger siblings. She became an eminent educator focusing on humanities-oriented education. SRI's Shakti Empowerment Education - Ramakrishna Vidyapith has been fortunate to have Krishna as its strong-minded principal for over two decades. She runs the day-to-day operations of the school and women's empowerment with firm positivity, ensuring that students receive a good balance of humanities, practical education, sports, and music, and makes sure that the staff receives the training and support they need to provide a holistic, loving atmosphere to empower their students. She oversees SRI's Ayurvedic / Homeopathic Free Clinic, and provides yoga classes to community elders.
Gerald Nebeker Board Member
Dr. Nebeker has two doctoral degrees, one in management of nonprofit organizations and the other in behavioral health. He is considered an expert in nonprofit governance and has consulted with over 50 nonprofit organizations, providing pro bono board training and strategic planning facilitation. He founded the nonprofit organization RISE, Inc. in 1987 to support people with various developmental disabilities, now operating in Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Florida, and Utah. He created Orange Socks in 2016 to educate new parents of children with disabilities. In 2021 he founded the nonprofit Nebo Children’s Fund to move orphanages in Uganda from donation dependency to self-sustainability. He has served on many local and national nonprofit boards and helped many nonprofit organizations incorporate, establish relevant missions, and monetize them through relevant strategic plans.
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Julie Francella, Board of Advisors
Julie Francella is a veteran mental health professional with over 28 years of experience in the clinical field working with complex trauma, as well as an activist, artist, and writer. Julie has worked as the Executive Director of a Domestic Violence Center and as a clinical caseworker for 13 years at a residential treatment center for Indigenous youth and families. She currently works with the First Nations University of Canada and is represented by Charlotte Sheedy Literary agency in NYC. She is an enrolled member of the Ojibway of Batchewana First Nation Reserve.​​​​​​
Daniela Bastos, Communications Advisor
With a Masters in International Business and studies in psychoanalysis, Daniela worked with venture capitalists in Europe while integrating the production team of Petropolis Movie Festival ( Rio de Janeiro), Aqua Movie festival (Portugal), and collaborates with FICCI (Colombia) since 2020. Based in NYC she is in charge of the international conference ATECH (Art, Tech, Entrepreneurship, Creation, Humanization) forging closer ties and co-productions among IberoAmerica and beyond. In philanthropy, she works with Nonprofits like Saving Jane, advocating for human rights and using cinema as a platform to foster change. ​​
Reviews / Press
Iman Bowie
"Not only does award winning photographer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri create magnificent images… Indrani also grasps the meaning of giving-back! Indrani and her father, Ajay Pal-Chaudhuri started SEEschool in West Bengal, which provides free quality education and vocational training for women and children.... Indrani embodies talent and social conscience."
- Iman in the foreword to ICONS: The Celebrity Exposures of Markus and Indrani (Perseus Press, 2021)
Deepak Chopra
Deepak's Chopra Foundation has supported SRI & SEEschool by donating many books to our Library, and linking to our foundation on its website in 2010. The Chopra Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being, cultivating spiritual knowledge, expanding consciousness, and promoting world peace to all members of the human family - missions which SRI wholeheartedly shares.
Suhel Seth
Columnist, Financial Times, Hindustan Times, The Telegraph, and Indian Express; Founder and managing partner of Counselage India; Chairman, Marketing Committees of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
"SRI & Shakti Empowerment Foundation, run by Indrani’s father at this advanced age is so beautiful, it’s an example of how we should all be. It is not just a duty, it’s a moral obligation to make sure that everyone is supported... The work that Indrani and her dad are doing, the work that the NGO is doing, with so much compassion, this must inspire us all."
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- Suhel Seth at #United4India Clubhouse, 2021
Shakti Empowerment Education Teachers and musicians lead students in traditional cultural performance, 2020.
Shakti Empowerment Staff
15 teachers
5 teaching assistants
3 administrators
5 children’s helpers
5 kitchen staff
1 medical doctor at our Free Clinic
1 information technology specialist
MISSION
Empowering women and girls, setting them free from oppressive systems, to unleash their potential for regenerative change.
“Shakti” is the Sanskrit word for the feminine creative energy of life and love.
“Regeneration” is a term that includes cultural and ecological renewal, consciously building the capacity to respond to climate change and encourage transformation.
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FOUNDATION & RAMAKRISHNA VIDYAPITH RANAGHAT, WEST BENGAL SCHOOL
Providing regenerative education, front-line community support, vocational training, and micro-financing for the lowest-income children and women.
Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation and its school Ramakrishna Vedanta Vidyapith provide front-line support, free quality education, literacy, vocational training, and micro-financing for 300+ low-income and marginalized women and children annually in both Ranaghat, West Bengal, and with global partners. Working in collaboration with the community, families, teachers, and volunteers, to support female empowerment and provide innovative interventions to address gaps in the system for students from the lowest-income families, and from indigenous, marginalized, and refugee communities. We also provide resources and support to protect from the risks of early marriage, child labor, trafficking, and domestic violence. SEEschool teaches the values of regenerative original thinking and problem solving “outside the box,” equality, collaboration, spirituality, music, culture, and sports, and respecting those of different genders, faiths, and backgrounds.
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We are small but mighty - we are dedicated to our students and community, many of whom return after graduation to support the next generations. 100% of proceeds go to those in need.
History
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SEEschool was founded in 1994 in Ranaghat, West Bengal, India, by co-founders Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri and Ajay Pal-Chaudhuri in their ancestral home. At first they had to go door-to-door in the community, to ask families to let at least one of their children gain an education instead of working in the fields and factories. These students were often expected by their families to bring home education for their siblings as well.
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The current modernized school building was dedicated in 2002 to provide 300+ students with education and meals. High School Coaching classes are provided in the Pal-Chaudhuri Gupinath Mandir and Gardens. In 2005, the foundation expanded to provide literacy and vocational training to mothers and women from village communities, and found that they are able to dramatically improve the circumstances for their families, empowered by our microfinancing program. Women's Education classes are held both in Ranaghat and in the villages outside Kolkata.
Awards & Press
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SEEschool / SRI is featured in numerous publications including Times of India, Newsweek/The Daily Beast, Indian Express, Marie Claire, DTK Canada, South Asia Magazine, Soma, featured on Larry King Live, in the Double Exposure documentary series on US TV channel Bravo /NBC and Fox worldwide, and on the Princeton University website. Our work is recognized at the United Nations with a 2018 Women’s Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellowship, by Rotary International with a Max Mark-Cranbrook 2019 Global Peace Makers Award, by CNN with a 2018 Expose award, and by the TFF 2019 Disruptive Innovation Award.