Nina Rao learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. In 1998, she met her guru, Sri Siddhi Ma in the foothills of the Himalayas and spent time with her regularly for 19 years. Her childhood was spent living in and moving between many countries around the world and when she settled in New York her working life began in the banking world, moved into organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India, and now since 1996, is Krishna Das' business manager and accompanist as well as chant leader on her own and teaches alongside leaders of practices from a range of sacred traditions from around the world.

Nina tours with Krishna Das, and in 2013 to accompanied him at the Grammy Awards webcast performance. In 2007, she recorded the track 'Nina Chalisa' on Krishna Das' CD "Flow of Grace - Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa". In January 2013, she released her debut album, "Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts”. Her second album “Anubhav” was released in 2018, entirely crowd-funded. Her third solo album ‘Bhumi Devi’, dedicated to Mother Earth, is being released in September 2026.

Since 1998 she has actively supported conservationists in preserving the sacred wilderness and forests of India through her charity SavingWildTigers.org. Wherever she travels to sing she visits the local wilderness areas whether on land or sea. She hopes that everyone will make a little garden whether on their fire escape or home plot, filled with native species as wild habitat.  to regenerate biodiversity She is a podcast host on the widely heard Be Here Now Network exploring spirituality, practice, and conservation of wilderness and Nature. She is also trained and has worked as a hospice volunteer.

Nina regularly leads kirtan, chanting, workshops, and virtual and in-person retreats from her home-base New York and around the world.

For full bio, hi-res images and flyer template, please visit Nina's press kit page.

Life is a complex exploratory process of daily routines, practice, and reflection  – to cultivate the ability to trust in the process of uncovering our True Nature and experiencing our interconnectedness. It takes courage, patience, fortitude, and faith to walk this path of Life. The compass to help me navigate is in the timeless teachings and traditions of India that I was attracted to and grew up with, but whose depth of meaning and validity in my own life was first revealed to me living in the west. Chanting is my vehicle and my path to living a more peaceful and helpful life day-by-day. We can help each other as a community of seekers, in gratitude for this precious human life as we evolve ourselves in alignment with Mother Earth.

Chanting cleans the mirror of my heart to develop the clarity to slowly (but surely I’m told) find the Love and along the way, try to step out of my own reactionary behavior and see and be with all as it is. Maybe it will take at least another 108 lifetimes, but all I know is I have this moment - now.

Nina Rao joins Melanie Moser on Shakti Hour Podcast (Ep. 14) for a conversation that touches on the evolution of Nina’s spiritual practice, her relationship with Maharaj-ji and the two celebrate the life of Siddhi Ma.