Speaking

Ancient Indian wisdom, delivered live — for universities, festivals, communities and studios.

I have given over 150 talks and guest lectures across four continents: university lecture halls, the Parliament of the World's Religions, literary festivals, public libraries, temples, yoga studios and the BBC. My subject is the same in every room — the stories, philosophies and practices of India — and my job in every room is the same: make them land, whoever is listening. Scholars get rigour; general audiences get clarity; yoga communities get the mythology behind what they already practise.

Talks run from a 45-minute keynote to a full-day intensive, in person or online. Every talk is built for its audience rather than pulled from a shelf.

Download my Public Education CV

Signature Talks

The Stories Behind the Poses: Yoga as Mythology in Motion. The myths that gave the postures their names, and what they teach on the mat. My most requested talk, drawn from the book that has sold 50,000+ copies.

The Dharmic Double Helix. How the Sanskrit Epics weave world-affirmation and world-renunciation into a single strand — and why that tension is the key to Indian thought.

The Greatness of the Goddess. The Devī Māhātmya, India's foundational Goddess text: its structure, its theology of power, and why it still matters.

The Bhagavad Gītā: Teachings for Tumultuous Times. Arjuna's crisis as a map for our own — stability, duty and clarity in uncertain conditions.

Karma and Rebirth: Core Hindu Concepts. What the tradition actually says about action, consequence and the human condition, cleared of the clichés.

Hinduism and the Ethics of War. India's sacred texts and international humanitarian law, from my four-year collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sacred Storytelling: How Myth Teaches Without Teaching. Why narrative outperforms doctrine — for educators, faith communities and anyone who teaches.

The Self-Employed Scholar. Building an intellectual life beyond the professoriate — for graduate students, early-career academics and departments.

Where I Have Spoken

Universities: University of Toronto, McMaster University, University of Calgary, Colgate University, Michigan State University, California State University Fullerton, Loyola Marymount University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Delhi, Central University of Karnataka, RTM Nagpur University, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, OCAD University.

Festivals and public forums: Parliament of the World's Religions, The Canadian Literature Festival, INDICA Weekend with Wisdom, Sant Jordi Literary Festival, World Multicultural Festival, Oakville Public Library, Region of Peel, Vishnu Mandir Toronto, Hindu Climate Action.

Yoga and wellness communities: Yoga Alliance, Esalen, Embodied Philosophy, Yoga Australia, Cultivate Yoga, The Thread Yoga Collective, and studios across Canada, the United States, Australia and Hawaii.

Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies: twenty-one public lectures since 2020, from "Tantra and the Goddess" to "The Structure of the Mahābhārata."

Recent Talks

2026 — "The Stories Behind the Poses." The Canadian Literature Festival, May 17.
2026 — "Global Professionals Panel." South Asia Summer Language Institute, University of Wisconsin–Madison, June 19.
2026 — "Stories of the Sages: Vedānta Embodied." INDICA Weekend with Wisdom, Feb 27.
2026 — "The Stories Behind the Poses: Yoga as Mythology in Motion." Loyola Marymount University, Feb 23.
2026 — "The Structure of the Mahābhārata: Mapping an Ancient Indian Epic." Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, Feb 12.
2025 — "The Devī Māhātmya: An Ode to World-Affirmation." National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, May 27.
2025 — "Dharma in Times of Crisis: Inner Stability Amidst Global Uncertainty." Hindu Students Council, OCAD University, Mar 8.
2025 — "Demystifying Hinduism." Oakville Public Library, Feb 27.
2025 — "A Life Well Lived: Insights from Indic Traditions." McMaster University, Feb 6.
2024 — "A Conversation about Hinduism." Region of Peel, Oct 23.
2024 — "The Glories of the Goddess in Ancient Sanskrit Text." California State University, Fullerton, Sept 25.
2023 — "The Indian Epics and the Dharmic Double Helix." Central University of Karnataka, Nov 30.
2023 — "The Self-Employed Scholar: Thriving Beyond the Professoriate." University of Toronto, Mar 16.

The complete record of university talks, public talks, yoga talks and Oxford lectures is in my CV.

Interviews & Media

I am a frequent interview subject on radio, in print and on podcasts, explaining Indian religion and mythology for general audiences — often at short notice, and always unscripted. Selected appearances:

BBC Radio 4, Beyond Belief — panel on Gaṇeśa (2021)
BBC — "The Significance of Ganesha," with Deepak Patel (2025)
CBC Ideas — "Mythology of Mars," Generation Mars series (2016)
Religion News Service — "Online schools bridge the gap between yoga mat and Ph.D." (2024)
Times of India — "The Mythological Stories Behind Yogic Poses," World Yoga Day (2023)
The Wire — "When Storytelling Becomes a Pedagogical Tool" (2018)
South Asia News Channel — "The Impact of Kabir" (2025)
INDICA Changemakers — "War, Wisdom and the Narrative DNA of Sanskrit Epics" (2026)
Juris-Dictions — "The Rules of Modern Warfare and Ancient Traditions" (2024)
Meru Media — "War, Dharma and Justice" (2024); "Narratives and the Purāṇas" (2021)
The Yogic Studies Podcast — "The Significance of the Devī Māhātmya" (2022); "Purāṇas and Hindu Mythology" (2020)
Embodied Philosophy — "Raj Balkaran on the Wisdom of Stories" (2021)
Also: Yoga Inspiration, All Mats Taken, A Grateful Life, Living in Alignment, Discovery of an Author, Political Hope, The Academic Life, Kajabi Edge, and the New Books Network's 300th-episode interview.

The full list of interviews is in my CV. The two podcasts I host are on the Podcast page.

Book a Talk

For talks, interviews or expert comment — tell me the audience, the occasion and the date. Get in touch.