Meeting Date: Mon Jun 22 2026
Source: Google Doc Link
Summary
Organizational missions and historical backgrounds were reviewed and digital education collaboration was finalized via promotional support.
Organizational mission and history
Both organizations aligned on integrating philosophy within educational platforms and therapeutic practices to expand reach. Groups reviewed historical milestones regarding capacity building and curriculum development.
Digital education program proposal
A masterclass focusing on digital content creation, storytelling, and artificial intelligence integration was presented to bridge accessibility gaps. The curriculum aims to equip creators with technical skills.
Promotional support for initiative
Participation as a speaker was declined due to a lack of technical expertise, but an agreement to disseminate promotional materials to networks was established. This support ensures visibility.
Suggested Next Steps
- [Tenzin Palkyi] Send Event Details: Forward the masterclass posters and introduction to Asha Pillai for distribution.
- [Asha Pillai] Share Program Materials: Distribute the provided information to the professional network and team members.
- [Asha Pillai] Evaluate Educational Resources: Assess the practice app and content to determine integration possibilities for future courses.
Details
- Introductions and Organizational Background: Tenzin Palkyi, representing an organization called We Buddhist, introduced themself to Asha Pillai. Tenzin Palkyi explained that We Buddhist leverages technology to increase the accessibility of Buddhist wisdom. Tenzin Palkyi noted that their contact information was provided by Prashant, and mentioned a mutual connection with Jennifer from the Deer Park Jamyang Khyentse Foundation, noting that their founder is Jamyang Khyentse's husband (00:01:05).
- WCCL Foundation - History and Mission: Asha Pillai provided an overview of the WCCL Foundation, a non-profit established approximately 22 to 25 years ago. The foundation focuses on arts-based therapy, integrating tools such as music, art, storytelling, and theater to support special needs populations when talk therapy proves insufficient. To adapt psychological frameworks for an Indian audience, the foundation incorporated Buddhist philosophy as the theoretical basis for their therapeutic techniques (00:05:17).
- WCCL Foundation - Capacity Building Initiatives: Asha Pillai described the foundation's history of training practitioners across India for 12 years using the Bodhicharyavatara text. Following this period, the organization shifted its focus toward creating educators to increase reach. A key project is the one-year Applied Buddhist Psychology and Ethics course, launched in partnership with the Deer Park Jamyang Khyentse Foundation and the University of Pune. The program is currently in its 15th batch, demonstrating the foundation's success in building sustainable capacity (00:06:44).
- We Buddhist - Technology and Educational Platforms: Tenzin Palkyi detailed current projects, including a practice app designed for younger audiences with limited time, inspired by the “Bible App.” The organization is also developing “Sherup,” an open edx-based e-learning platform intended to make Buddhist education accessible worldwide in multiple languages. Additionally, Tenzin Palkyi discussed the “Buddhist Creators Convention,” an annual event designed to equip content creators with the necessary skills and recognition to share Buddhist teachings effectively (00:09:52).
- Influencer Masterclass Program - Overview and Collaboration: Tenzin Palkyi proposed a collaboration for the “We Buddhist Influencer Masterclass,” citing feedback from the Buddhist Creators Convention where many individuals could not attend due to financial or time constraints. Tenzin Palkyi plans to host these masterclasses in localities such as the Lonavala district to increase accessibility, specifically collaborating with Three Ratna. The program is scheduled to take place from July 15 to July 19 (00:13:02).
- Influencer Masterclass Program - Facilitators and Structure: Tenzin Palkyi outlined the structure of the masterclass, which covers topics including finding a niche, becoming a digital bodhisattva, storytelling, and artificial intelligence. Facilitators include Santo Bimra Sakant, who specializes in cinematography and finding a niche; Kimbu Shaang, a Nepali film director associated with the film Shambala; and Yogesh Debanker, a chief technology officer focused on content creation and AI integration. Tenzin Palkyi invited Asha Pillai to participate as a speaker to provide inspiration to content creators (00:15:15).
- Invitation and Promotional Support: Asha Pillai declined the invitation to present at the masterclass, explaining that they are not familiar with modern technology, social media platforms, or phone usage, and felt they would be the antithesis of the program's objectives. However, Asha Pillai agreed to support the initiative by sharing promotional materials and details about the masterclass with their students and network. Tenzin Palkyi expressed appreciation for this assistance and noted they would provide the necessary informational documents (00:17:55).
- Meeting Conclusion: The meeting concluded with Tenzin Palkyi and Asha Pillai expressing mutual appreciation. Asha Pillai offered well wishes and mentioned that they currently use Google for their work. Tenzin Palkyi confirmed they would remain in touch and send the details regarding the masterclass (00:20:52).
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Meeting Transcript
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Jun 22, 2026
#Meeting with Asha ma'am - Transcript
00:01:05
CommOps Manager: Oops. Hello. Hi Asha ma'am.
Asha Pillai: Hello. Hello. Hello.
CommOps Manager: How are you?
Asha Pillai: I'm very well. I'm very well. So, you are tense in
CommOps Manager: Okay. All right.
Asha Pillai: love.
CommOps Manager: Yes. Can you give me one minute? I log out from here and I'll join from my account.
Asha Pillai: Okay. Sure.
CommOps Manager: Yes.
Asha Pillai: So, do I need to do I need to do anything or I'll just stick
CommOps Manager: One minute and I'll be back. No, no, no,
Asha Pillai: around?
CommOps Manager: no. You can stick around. I'll be back in one minute. All right.
Asha Pillai: Okay. Okay.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. Hello. Hi, mom.
Asha Pillai: Yes.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes,
Asha Pillai: Yes.
Tenzin Palkyi: perfect. Yes.
Asha Pillai: How can I be of service to
Tenzin Palkyi: First, please. But first of all, I just want to thank you for your time.
Asha Pillai: you?
00:04:15
Tenzin Palkyi: I I I know like the email might sound very random out of nowhere, but thank you so for your time,
Asha Pillai: No,
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am.
Asha Pillai: not at all.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. Uh, a little bit intro to myself. My name is Dan Pali. Uh I am currently working with an organization called V Buddhist. Uh just a short summary of what we Buddhist do. It just uses technology uh to bring Buddhism closer to everyone. Uh then I can just go through a very long description of what the organization do but uh I know Prashant sir have given me your contact and I feel like Jennifer from Deer Park Zongar Kenzie Foundation also knows you very well. So our founder is G. Antila Jennifer's husband uh if you familiar with him.
Asha Pillai: Okay.
Tenzin Palkyi: So ma'am first of all I really like to know you and then uh I just read a little bit about uh BLCC Foundation and I loved everything because I used to be a psychology student but I would personally love to hear it from you
00:05:17
Asha Pillai: What do you want to know my dear?
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am.
Asha Pillai: What can I tell you? Okay, I'll just Okay, set your brief. Uh WCCL Foundation basically is an NGO. It's a nonprofit organization which uh I think we started in uh maybe more than 20 22 years now I think I can't remember yeah around 22 25 years and what we you know started is we do something called artsbased therapy we basically bring in the arts into therapy that's what we were doing we started with and uh our primary job was to sort of bring in things like music, art, storytelling, theater uh into making them as useful tools for therapy because we work with special needs uh populations and you know all the time talk therapy doesn't work. So uh then we sort of started and then what happened was that uh you know the western psychologies ba as a basis has limitations you know they have limitations to an Indian audience uh and so we sort of I wanted to bring in some you know um foundation which will be more from the home country itself.
00:06:44
Asha Pillai: So um I have you know colleagues and so we brought in the Buddhist philosophy and the Buddhist ideas as the foundation of the basis on
Tenzin Palkyi: Mhm.
Asha Pillai: which these tools and techniques are taught. So our theoretical basis is the Buddhist view is a
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: theoretical basis for using the art.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. Okay.
Asha Pillai: So what we did was um we trained practitioners throughout India for 12 years uh using you know
Tenzin Palkyi: Mhm.
Asha Pillai: and book on and the shantias text were the textbooks and we made a new textbook for the students we made a new book for
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. Okay.
Asha Pillai: them and we sort of taught them along with the artistic tools and
Tenzin Palkyi: Mhm.
Asha Pillai: techniques to work and then Ashra gave We decided that now we will sort of create educators to basically build capacity and uh
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: we we had sort of enough you know in the sense we felt to reach a larger
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: audience we needed more people to be trained so we trained them and then we handed it over and then
00:07:59
Tenzin Palkyi: Yeah.
Asha Pillai: we were out and after that
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes. That's nice. I I saw the project called Train the Trainers.
Asha Pillai: and yeah that's that's the one and then we sort of
Tenzin Palkyi: I think that's that's a graphic, right?
Asha Pillai: started the course with the help of you know under Zar Kenzer Puche's guidance along with deer park and the University of Pune we started a course called the applied Buddhist psychology and ethics in Pune University uh so this is the
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. Okay.
Asha Pillai: 15th year my 15th batch is this year so it's been going on 15
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay, man.
Asha Pillai: years this is after a
Tenzin Palkyi: Wow. Okay. All right.
Asha Pillai: okay so after 12 years We then we put this course because
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: we had finished and we handed over to everybody. Then we took the next sort of project is was doing this applied Buddhist psychology and ethics and is you know under his guidance we put this together and dear
Tenzin Palkyi: Uhhuh.
00:08:55
Asha Pillai: park and uh in the department of pali and Buddhist studies the
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: three of us wizard foundation and we put this course together and this is the 15th batch and so the course is a one year course in Mayana applied Buddhist psychology and
Tenzin Palkyi: Wow.
Asha Pillai: ethics and
Tenzin Palkyi: Wow. That's really nice, ma'am. I I mean I'm so surprised. I've uh it's very rare like because with many other organization when it comes to capacity building, it goes for like 50 years, 100 years, the capacity building goes on and on. But hearing that you know they have built something where they can go on by themselves that
Asha Pillai: Oh yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: that's really nice.
Asha Pillai: Oh yeah. Of course. Of course. Because today's you youngsters are very bright and intelligent.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yeah.
Asha Pillai: You don't need 100 100 years and 50 years especially with tech. Like I think we were dumber so we needed longer
Tenzin Palkyi: No.
Asha Pillai: times.
Tenzin Palkyi: All right.
Asha Pillai: You guys are
00:09:52
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. No way.
Asha Pillai: right.
Tenzin Palkyi: So let me talk a little bit about the we Buddhist influencer master class that I was talking about. But I'll just share this this who we are uh this pitch tech that I made for another organization. But since it covers I think uh this will also give you brief overview
Asha Pillai: Yeah. So,
Tenzin Palkyi: about organization.
Asha Pillai: uh-huh.
Tenzin Palkyi: So just a brief as I've already mentioned we Buddhists we use technology to make Buddhist wisdom
Asha Pillai: So,
Tenzin Palkyi: accessible. So when we talk about technology what kind of technology we are talking about is uh first we're working on a practice app right now. So if in uh the practice app will be like a daily Buddhist practice app that will help people. So our target audience is more towards people who want to learn about Buddhism but then also don't have sufficient enough time. So younger audience, younger Buddhists who are interested in Buddhism and then who can digest Buddhist knowledge in like 5 minutes.
00:10:53
Tenzin Palkyi: So we took reference from a Christian app called Bible U app. Bible U app. So Bible U app when I was when I was going to my college years, I I like almost everyone of my Christian friends use that Bible app. And even though they have a lot of fun on the side, but when it comes to practicing and then uh studying the Bible, every day they at least make like a five minute of time to follow up what the what the Bible says and then they read through it. So we are trying this is still like in a preliminary stage right now and uh we are working very hard to to make sure that the app will cater towards younger audience but then at the same time we'll have the graphic details and then design so that we can uh grabs the knowledge. I know that everyone's attention span is like a fish nowadays. So yes and then another one is sharup uh online learning platform. So this is an open uh open edx learning. So e-learning platform that make Buddhist education accessible worldwide in multiple language.
00:11:57
Tenzin Palkyi: So if in case you're looking for like a practice plan practice application so that you can just look at in like a 5 minutes and spend like 10 minutes of your time visi practice app is the one and cheer up is where you can find like a longer version of text and longer version of for example Kiru's text studying about what meditation is or if you can make like a practice plan for people to follow. This is where Sherup comes through. And now the third application is Buddhist creators convention. So this is like an uh annual event that we host every year. The first one was done last year. Uh Buddhist creators convention. It was done in God Baya in Shichan Monastery and uh hosted by Shijan Monastery itself. So Buddhist creators convention what we try to do is uh in the we Buddhist practice app later on we're going to onboard content creators content creators who can make Buddhist content creators who can make uh plans for us like a for example like a guide uh like a beginner guide to meditation if in case I can say that.
00:13:02
Tenzin Palkyi: So with Christian Bible view app what they do is how they have more and more people interested is they try to gather uh Christian content creators who are really good who already have a really good audience. But now when it comes to Buddhists content creators, we still have a very gap much gap because they have a lot of knowledge but they need the right tools and skills to share this knowledge and because of that we try to have we had this convention in Bodgaya where we hosted 120 people from 10 different countries and we taught them how to use the right skill to share your voice and how to make uh I mean nowadays there are lot of content out there but then how to make sure that your content gets the right recognition. So this is one of our project and after the uh convention itself we received many feedback from many different people saying that they would love to join the convention but uh because of like certain because of time limit because of financial constraint they were not able to join the convention.
00:14:05
Tenzin Palkyi: So we thought that rather than bringing the uh rather than the audience coming and joining for our convention why not we bring the master classes to those localities especially to ones in Pune in south in southern area because we are having it in both Gaya. So we the like the first uh organization that we're collaborating with to have the influencer masterclass program is with ratna and asham ma'am I wanted to discuss about uh the collaboration that we are doing with three ratna with you. So uh the dates that we have for now is from 15th of July to 19th of July and in the convent in the master class itself we're going to talk about the first day will be about uh finding your niche and then becoming a digital bodhic satma. The second day uh so sorry the second day will everything will be about storytelling and third day will be about AI and uh I'll just show you our poster as well. So it's going to happen in Lunavla district District ma'am. Uh is it too far from your place?
00:15:15
Asha Pillai: Yeah, maybe an hour. An hour.
Tenzin Palkyi: hour.
Asha Pillai: Yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: And over
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. All right.
Asha Pillai: here.
Tenzin Palkyi: All right. Official poster. Can you see my screen map?
Asha Pillai: No,
Tenzin Palkyi: No.
Asha Pillai: not yet.
Tenzin Palkyi: Sh window.
Asha Pillai: Yeah, now I can see a
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes. All right. So, we're talking about uh we Buddhist influencer master class now.
Asha Pillai: screen.
Tenzin Palkyi: I'm just Okay. Okay. All right. So, on the first day itself, we have Santo Bimra Sakant. uh Santos Sur is a film director and he's also really good in talking
Asha Pillai: Yep.
Tenzin Palkyi: about your right niche finding how to find your right and also about uh cinematography lighting so on the first day he's going to cover everything about u about finding your right niche and then second day we have we are still in talks with Kimbo Shalam I know we have written Rahul Dongre over here but with Rahul we're hosting like a completely different new uh master class which is going to be in uh Nagpur and uh we are talking with Kimbo Shaang right now.
00:16:46
Tenzin Palkyi: So a little bit about Kimu Shaang over here. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. A little bit about Kimbush. Kimbushang is also a student of Zonga Kenzer and he have made several movies. He actually is a Nepali uh film director. uh the recent film that I saw of him was Shambala and it's really good movie. So we're trying to onboard him as one of the facilitator and third one we have Yogesh Debanker. So Yogesh is actually a chief technology officer. Uh and he's really good at what he's doing especially with content content creation and AI integrating AI into your workspace. So these people are going to take up the facilitator role meaning that they're going to take up the whole day class. But with Asham ma'am I wanted to talk if in case you have like a topic which you feel like will be really good for inspiring Buddhist content creators. I'll really like and appreciate if in case you can take one hour and then enlighten us with your knowledge uh for Buddhist content creators.
00:17:55
Tenzin Palkyi: Ma'am.
Asha Pillai: You know, I think I mean I'm the last person actually who should be in this thing because I'm the least
Tenzin Palkyi: Mhm.
Asha Pillai: technology person on this planet. Okay.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yeah.
Asha Pillai: I'll be a I'll be the anti-thesis to what you do.
Tenzin Palkyi: Uhhuh.
Asha Pillai: So the only tech technology I use is Gmail.
Tenzin Palkyi: Uhhuh.
Asha Pillai: You know, I'm not even on uh any social media platform. So um I don't even use my own phone.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay. I like that.
Asha Pillai: Okay. So let's let's go there. So you see uh so I
Tenzin Palkyi: Thank you
Asha Pillai: I Yeah, I'm being very honest with you really.
Tenzin Palkyi: all.
Asha Pillai: I think what you've planned is beautiful. I uh you know I think for the kind of vision that you have with the kind of people that you've planned because that's I think that's what uh the young people require. I I I'm not so sure what I what value I can add to you know what you what you all are doing because it it's already uh so good and so nice that you'll have planned all these things and I think the young people will really enjoy studying films and you know the art of storytelling and also um you know how to actually go about doing this.
00:19:16
Tenzin Palkyi: concentration.
Asha Pillai: Yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: So I don't know I'm not so sure I can add any value at all.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: And considering that I'm really the opposite of what you are trying to do.
Tenzin Palkyi: like
Asha Pillai: So if I get any questions, I'll be saying, “Oh, I myself don't do any of these things.” Like I said, I don't even use my own
Tenzin Palkyi: okay ma'am.
Asha Pillai: phone.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay ma'am but thank you so much for being honest. Uh but ma'am uh like another area of assistant will be if in case like I know you have many students if in case any one of them are interested you can I can forward you a posters and a little bit uh like an introduction about what the class is and what we can offer to the
Asha Pillai: Sure.
Tenzin Palkyi: students if you can share it to your network
Asha Pillai: Sure. Definitely,
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am.
Asha Pillai: definitely. You know, I think Bhaja we quite
Tenzin Palkyi: Hello
Asha Pillai: I think we're familiar with that if there are people who are interested
00:20:13
Tenzin Palkyi: Hello.
Asha Pillai: in Sure. Sure. I mean, I think Hello. Can you hear me? Sorry. Um Hello.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: Hello.
Tenzin Palkyi: Hello. No, no,
Asha Pillai: Yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am.
Asha Pillai: Sorry.
Tenzin Palkyi: I I think I lost
Asha Pillai: Yeah, definitely. I can I I can share it with uh you know my you know somebody from my team then
Tenzin Palkyi: you.
Asha Pillai: who will like I said I don't have any platform myself I have to rely on all the other young people to do all this so I'll send it to one or two of them to sort of you know send it to other human beings to to do that. Yeah sure I can do that. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I'll definitely once your app is ready and all that I don't know I mean I can use it for
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: my own uh thing and also share it with students to you know sort of practice
00:20:52
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes.
Asha Pillai: and stuff like that. So you know once I go through it myself you know I will be able to sort of uh look
Tenzin Palkyi: So much Yes.
Asha Pillai: at the content and you know see how I can use it for my classes.
Tenzin Palkyi: Yes. That'll be perfect.
Asha Pillai: Yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: All right, ma'am. Thank you so much for giving me your time, ma'am.
Asha Pillai: Thank you all the all good wishes.
Tenzin Palkyi: Thank you so much. Yes, ma'am.
Asha Pillai: All good wishes.
Tenzin Palkyi: And I love your energy,
Asha Pillai: Yes.
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am. I love your energy.
Asha Pillai: Oh,
Tenzin Palkyi: It's really nice. I was I was quite a little nervous.
Asha Pillai: I like yours too.
Tenzin Palkyi: I mean, it happens every
Asha Pillai: No need. No need.
Tenzin Palkyi: time.
Asha Pillai: I'm just like you like you know just figuring out all the things in the world.
Tenzin Palkyi: Uhhuh.
Asha Pillai: In fact I like for for instance I a lot of things that I can learn from you guys about tech. The only thing I started using these days is Google MLN. So, you know, and to put my stuff on that
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Asha Pillai: and
Tenzin Palkyi: I mean that still works. That still works very well, man. All right, ma'am. Thank you so much.
Asha Pillai: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Tenzin Palkyi: Thank you so much.
Asha Pillai: It works quite well. All the best.
Tenzin Palkyi: Sure, ma'am. I'll be in touch.
Asha Pillai: All the best.
Tenzin Palkyi: I'll send you all the details.
Asha Pillai: Okay. Sure.
Tenzin Palkyi: Bye,
Asha Pillai: Sure.
Tenzin Palkyi: ma'am.
Asha Pillai: Byebye. Take care.
Tenzin Palkyi: Okay.
Transcription ended after 00:22:03
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