Our Committee
Our Committee
Dr. S Ajit
Chief executive officer
Dr, Ajit (BAMS, PCAS) is an ‘Ayurvedacharya,” a graduate of the Government Ayurvedic Medical College, University of Patiala, in North India. In India, Dr. Ajit worked in general practice and as a ’Panchakarma’ Specialist, was a lecturer at several Ayurveda Colleges and was also a permanent employee of the Government of India as an Ayurvedic Medical Officer, spanning 20 years.
He has been instrumental in raising the profile of Ayurveda in Australasia, not only through his teaching and practice, but through his numerous speaking engagements, media work and meetings with Government officials, His efforts have been recognised with a number of awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Zealand Charter of Health Professionals, the Indian Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) for his contribution in promoting Ayurveda in the West and the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman from the NRI Welfare Society of India.
Scott Allan
President
Scott is an Ayurvedic practitioner and graduate of AIAS he runs a busy Ayurvedic clinic in Buderim Qld.
Richard Clark
Vice-President
Richard has a long standing interest in complementary medicine and Vedic Philosophy. He began practising yoga as a teenager and is now the Director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Brisbane. For the last 20 years, he has been a passionate advocate for Ayurveda and was instrumental in establishing the Australasian Institute of Ayurvedic Studies
Margaret Deurhof
Secretary | Ayurveda Practitioner
Margaret completed her Advanced Diploma in Ayurveda with the Australasian Institute of
Ayurvedic Studies in 2020. Previously she worked in the education sector as a counsellor and
teacher working with young people and families in the areas of social and emotional
wellbeing. She now runs her own Ayurvedic clinic in Mackay, Queensland.
Benjamin Haynes
PR | Ayurveda Practitioner
Benjamin holds a double qualification in Ayurveda from the Australasian Institute Of Ayurvedic Studies. He trained for 6 years directly under the tutelage of Dr Ajit Singh, Australasia’s most experienced Ayurvedic physician. In 2015, he set up The Medicine Man Herbal Apothecary and Clinic specialising in Ayurvedic Medicine.
Benjamin is also an experienced yoga teacher, with a personal practice dating back to the 1990’s and becoming a qualified teacher in 2001. He has taught at several of Sydney’s busiest yoga schools and in 2007 set up a yoga school on the central coast of NSW.
Vanessa Hale
PR
B Sc., Cert 4 Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, Ad. Dip.
Ayurvedic Practitioner, Dip. Svastha Yoga. Practicing in Sydney. Interest in women’s health,
fertility, digestive health, Ayurvedic musculoskeletal treatments and Shirodhara.
Michelle Buckley
Joint Financial Secretaries | Dip in Ayurveda, CPA
Michelle is an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant and is currently studying the Advance Diploma Ayurveda Practitioner. Michelle is also a qualified Naturopath and Remedial Massage Therapist. She runs an Ayurvedic and Naturopath clinic in Brisbane which specialises in women’s health. Previously Michelle worked many years in the corporate world as a qualified accountant. Michelle is passionate about treating each person as a whole and educating her clients on how diet, lifestyle and the mind can impact their health and body.
Harish Kumar
Website Handler
Harish Kumar is a qualified Ayurveda Consultant, and an enthusiast about Ancient Healing Sciences especially Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology. Harish studied Ayurveda formally in 2019 and completed his Ayurvedic Clinical Diet and Lifestyle Consultants course with Dr Ajit of the Australasian Institute of Ayurvedic Studies though informally he has been learning and practicing these ancient healings, and also following a Yogic Lifestyle in his personal capacity for a very long time. Harish’s vision is to share this precious knowledge of Ancient Healing Sciences with the masses enabling them to take charge of their own physical, mental and emotional well-being.
State Representative Committee
Bharati Joshi
Victoria
Robyn Lynch
New South Wales
Sandy Johnson
Queensland
Alicia Hay
Western Australia