Meet the Kaimahi
Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini. My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.
Senior Leadership Team
Dharma-setu Dasa
Dharma-setu completed his Bachelor of Teaching at the University of Waikato between 2015-2018. This was the first step in his career change into education from the I.T sector where he previously worked as a General Manager and Project Manager. Dharma-setu was born in Bath, in the South-West of England, and raised there in Wiltshire. He came in contact with the teaching of Krishna consciousness through a school friend when he was just 16 years old. At the age of 18; he became a full time member of ISKCON, living as a monk at Bhaktivedanta Manor, our U.K headquarters. Being an active member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) since the early 90’s, Dharma deeply incorporated the teachings and culture of Krishna-bhakti into his personal life and feels very inspired to share and support the development of Krishna-bhakti in the lives of the young people in our local community.
Dharma-setu’s interests include: reading, attending temple events, learning Sanskrit, walking in nature, and visiting holy places in India. Dharma is happily married and has four beautiful children, all of whom are students at the Hare Krishna School.
Manada Devi Dasi
Manada holds a BA degree in psychology from Auckland University and post-graduate diploma in secondary education. She has taught English in secondary schools since 2001. In 2017, Manada joined the Hare Krishna School as Assistant Principal and has served at the school as a teacher and SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator). Currently acting as Deputy Principal, she supports the school’s mission to help each student discover their extraordinary potential, achieve their personal best and graduate as confident, active and contributing members of the Krishna conscious community and wider society. Seeing students engage in meaningful learning experiences to carry with them into the future is what she sees as the jewel the school has to offer. Manada is a professionally trained editor and has edited for Enough Magazine for several years. She has written a Mahabharata reading resource for senior students and would one day like to write and publish more Krishna conscious literacy resources for children.
Manada lives in Kumeu with her husband and teenage daughter who attended the Hare Krishna School in her primary years.
Subhatra Ho
Subhatra has 13 years of teaching experience at the Hare Krishna School. She started out here and says that she never wants to leave. Subhatra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Graduate Diploma in teaching (primary) and a Graduate Diploma in TESSOL (Teaching English in Schools for Speakers of Other Languages) Subhatra loves that she is working alongside devotees who have the same values and love for Krishna as she does. Her wish for her students is that they can come away with a strong spiritual and academic balance which can carry them through life.
Subhatra is married and a mum of two school-aged girls. In her spare time, she loves to bake with her kids, read and enjoys being in nature.
Year 1 - 10 Teaching and Learning Team
Paurnamasi Ranchor
As a second generation devotee born and raised in Srila Prabhupada's movement, Paurnamasi had the fortune of growing up in three unique ISKCON communities. Raising her own family with strong Bhakti principles is important to her as she looks back at the communities and experiences that shaped her.
“The Hare Krishna school has developed to become an exceptional environment where students learn the most important life lessons! This is due to the dedication and professionalism of all the team - staff, teachers and managers. I am humbled to be a part of the Hare Krishna school because I see how well it embodies the mood and teachings of Srila Prabhupada”.
In 2013, as part of her training for the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) she taught (as a student) in an educational facility part time. This gave her practical and hands-on experience of teaching alongside the theory study. In 2017, Paurnamasi began teaching full time.
Paurnamasi enjoys reading, writing, dancing and crafts to name a few. She loves being in nature and has a passion for fitness.
Lavanga-lata Devi Dasi
Lavanga-Lata was born in Fiji and raised in Northland. Lavanga-Lata holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education (primary) degree.
She is passionate about making learning fun and exciting, building a relationship with the kids and figuring out the best way to help them learn and grow. Not just academically but also emotionally and spiritually. She wants kids to have a love of learning, to know that learning doesn’t just happen at school. The things she teaches them, they will know, but how she makes them feel, that’s what they will always remember.
She loves being able to talk about Krsna, learn how to love him and make him part of the children’s life. Having Krsna at the center and focus of the school brings a certain sweetness to the environment. At every point she is reminded to continue building and growing in her own spiritual journey so that she is able to help her kids get closer to Krsna.
Lavanga-Lata’s interests currently revolve around helping herself grow and learn new things. Currently she is learning how to play guitar, exploring and finding new places.
Sudharma Devi Dasi
Sudharma is from Fiji and moved to Christchurch, NZ in 1988. Sudharma went to the University of Delhi where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Honors and got her Masters in Business Administration. In her time in Christchurch, Sudharma attended teacher’s training at the Christchurch College of Education. Sudharma has gained a lot of work experience in many fields ranging from teaching accounting, economics, geography at colleges to, teaching hindi and vegetarian cooking.
Sudharma previously taught at the Hare Krishna School back in 2004 and when the opportunity arose to come back, she knew it was time to return.
Sudharma strives to teach her students human values in addition to a strong grasp of the NZ curriculum. She is also very passionate about teaching students Krishna Conscious values as Srila Prabhupada has instructed. She believes in helping students at whatever level they may be at, giving them respect and setting realistic goals.
Sudharma’s passion is to care for Tulsi plants at the temple and her hobbies are gardening and reading. Sudharma is married with three adult children.
Madhuryamrita Devi Dasi
Madhuryamrta was born in Brazil and raised in the USA, Mexico and Argentina. She holds a Bachelor of Business Management and a Graduate Diploma in primary school teaching. She came to New Zealand in 2009 while travelling around the globe on a spiritual search. She met the Hare Krishna devotees and felt that she found what she was looking for. She values the opportunity to teach at the Hare Krishna School because it strives to achieve the perfect combination of academic excellence, character development and spiritual inspiration for all children.
Madhuryamrta is happily married and has two beautiful young children. Her interests are studying Vedic texts, chanting and dancing in kirtan, painting and spending time in nature with her family and friends.
Dakshah Kowlaser
Dakshah grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Education (intermediate and senior phase). She has been teaching since 2017 at private schools specializing in Mathematics and Natural Science. She was also a teacher aide at the Hare Krishna School in 2010.
Dakshah has a huge passion for teaching children and giving them support to grow and succeed at school and spiritually. She believes that building meaningful relationships between teachers, learners, and their families helps the students in their learning.
When Dakshah is not at school, you will find her reading or spending time with her family and especially her nephew playing games or building Lego.
Subhatra Ho
Subhatra has 13 years of teaching experience at the Hare Krishna School. She started out here and says that she never wants to leave. Subhatra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Graduate Diploma in teaching (primary) and a Graduate Diploma in TESSOL (Teaching English in Schools for Speakers of Other Languages) Subhatra loves that she is working alongside devotees who have the same values and love for Krishna as she does. Her wish for her students is that they can come away with a strong spiritual and academic balance which can carry them through life.
Subhatra is married and a mum of two school-aged girls. In her spare time, she loves to bake with her kids, read and enjoys being in nature.
Kirti Kumari
Kirti Kumari hails from the Netherlands but is of Indian background. She moved to Mayapur, West Bengal after completing her Masters in Laws and and her Pedagogy honour degree where she worked as a primary school teacher for 9 years and a headteacher for one year at the Sri Mayapur International School. Kirti Kumari left her law career to follow her heart and natural inclination to become a teacher, inspired and encouraged by her spiritual master Bhakti Charu Swami. She and her family of five relocated to Auckland, New Zealand in 2019 and she has been working at the Hare Krishna School since then. Kirti Kumari holds a Post Grad and Masters in Teaching and Learning.
In her spare time, Kirti Kumari loves to read and write. She keeps herself busy with art projects and enjoys being in nature exploring it’s beauty.
Madhava Sangini Devi Dasi
Madhava Sangini grew up in Christchurch, NZ, and was immersed in classical music from a young age, achieving her ATCL Diploma in performance music at age 14. In 2010, Madhava Sangini moved to Auckland to pursue a Bachelor of Natural Medicine and soon after came into contact with the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. With a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching, her teaching philosophy focuses on building positive relationships with each learner and their whanau/families and fostering a classroom culture of high expectations, inclusivity and integrity. She believes in striving for academic, personal and spiritual success for each learner and each student being empowered in the learning process.
Outside of school, Madhava Sangini enjoys spending time with her husband and children, engaging in kirtan, reading and maintaining an active lifestyle. Her approach to teaching and life blends her academic background, spiritual beliefs and commitment to authenticity.
Sarada Castelyn
Sarada is a second generation devotee of ISKCON born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She has lived in Johannesburg, Vrindavan, London and Bloemfontein. Sarada moved to Auckland, New Zealand recently with her husband and young daughter in January 2023 after accepting the newly erected role of high school teacher at the Auckland Hare Krishna School.
Sarada carries Bachelors and Honours degrees in Education and has taught in high schools in South Africa for five years. Ever since Sarada was a little girl she has wanted to teach in a Krishna Conscious school to serve Srila Prabupada's movement. The shastric principles which the school follows, the values that they teach by and the love that the teachers have for the students is what she believes sets the Hare Krishna School apart from mainstream schools.
In Sarada’s spare time she enjoys travelling, baking and music. Spending time with loved ones and associating with devotees is one of her top priorities and Sarada loves to spend quality time with her family out in nature.
Ian Thompson
Ian moved from Manchester, England to New Zealand in 2004 with no plans at all. He and his partner hopped on a plane and hoped for the best. Ian loves to be challenged and his life experience is vast. Ian has many qualifications, some of them being, a Bachelor of Arts in Design, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Computer Science.
Ian has a passion for teaching children basic life skills that he refined whilst being a scout leader. Ian also taught in an outdoor classroom at both Mount Roskill Grammar School and Michael Park Rudolf Steiner School.
Ian says that the reason he chose to transfer from the Michael Park Rudolf Steiner School to the Hare Krishna School is because he loves how the Hare Krishna School is surrounded by nature, has very strong values and is alternative. Ian loves the outdoors. He believes that children are over-stimulated in their daily lives and so, he wants to teach them how to appreciate the simplicity and serenity of nature.
Ian has some very exciting plans for his students, not limited to: cooking in the outdoor pizza oven, forging, art with handmade charcoal/ink, weaving, carving, fire-making and more!
When Ian is not at School you will find him tinkering, playing instruments, kayaking or swimming.
Ian has two school aged children and lives a simple and happy life.
Teacher-aides
Bhava-sandhi Devi Dasi
Bhavasandhi has been practicing Krishna Consciousness for 20 years and in that time has had a lot of different services. Bhavasandhi has assisted in producing a Krishna conscious
homeschooling curriculum in arts and music for 10 years and joined the Hare Krishna School this year (2022) as a teacher-aide. Bhavasandhi holds a degree in ECE level 4.
Bhavasandhi loves that the children of the Hare Krishna School have the amazing opportunity to be with devotees all day, have kirtan, can visit the temple and have prasadam daily. Where else in NZ is a school like this?
Bhavasandhi’s passions are: Kirtan, decorating cakes, studying and sharing Srila Prabhupada's books.
Yasomati Devi Dasi
When Yashomati and her husband migrated to New Zealand from India, they found themselves drawn to the Auckland Hare Krishna Temple. Before long, they developed strong friendships with devotees and started practicing Krishna Consciousness. Yashomati has been working as a teacher aide at our Hare Krishna School for the last 12 years and believes that the school teaches children values and culture making them the best versions of themselves. Yashomati has a Post- Grad in English and Arts from the University of Delhi and is a qualified early childhood teacher with many years of experience overseas.
Yashomati’s passions are: deity service, cooking for the pleasure of Lord Krishna and reading.
Sumukhi Devi Dasi
Sumukhi moved from her home in Kati Kati, to the Auckland Hare Krishna Temple farm with her family 10 years ago to put her daughter into college. Sumukhi’s son was in year five at the time and enrolled at the Hare Krishna School where she applied for a job as a teacher aide. Sumukhi had homeschooled her children through the Te Kura Correspondence School and found that she really enjoyed teaching. Sumukhi loves working with children and nurturing their spiritual lives and enthusiasm for learning! Sumukhi feels greatly privileged to work alongside our dedicated Hare Krishna School staff who teach by the values of wisdom, joy and respect which she deeply believes in.
“Teaching is a service to God. Children deserve the best that we as adults can offer them”.
Administration Team
Rohita Prabhu
Amrita-pani Mataji
