Dr. Alena Adamkova
Born: 1965 in Bratislava, former Czechoslovakia. Russian national from 2012, until then Slovak citizen.
MA in History of Philosophy (State University of Belorussia, Minsk, USSR, 1989.) PhD in Indian Philosophy (Moscow University of the Friendship of Peoples, 1993).
Author, translator, compiler, editor of over 40 books in Slovak, Russian, English, Sanskrit, Hindi languages; film director, scriptwriter, editor of documentary films on India and the Roerichs.
1990-1998: A. Adamkova lived in Calcutta, India, being a disciple of Swami Lokeswarananda, Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture. Received initiation, underwent discipleship training, studied Sanskrit, Bengali under renowned scholars, monks and nuns; executed first translations of Shankaracharya from Sanskrit to Russian (2 volumes printed in Russia).
1997: printed first Vedanta Anthology in Slovak language; translated sacred Bhagavadgita – first translation from Sanskrit to Slovak, the book released by the Ambassador of India to Slovakia jointly with the Minister of Culture, Slovakia, and Slovak Ambassador to India, in 2005.
Translated and published four books of the ‘Agni Yoga’ (first Slovak translation).
From 1989 cooperates with the Roerich movement.
1991: visited Svetoslav Roerich and Devika Rani in Bangalore. Dr Roerich repeatedly stressed importance of Kullu and blessed Alena to work there. He also entrusted her with preparing memorial plaque for H. Roerich Stupa in Kalimpong, which she installed there in 1994. From 1994 she regularly visited Naggar, helping Sister Ursula Eichshtad, former manager, IRMT as a volunteer. Official involvement became possible in 2001, when the IRMT invited a representative of Russia for the Trust development.
1996: traveled to USA (trip sponsored by Katherine Cambell, co-worker of the Roerichs), 3 months working in the archives of N.Roerich Museum, New York, and in Washington with American writer N. Seifer. Second trip: 2001- film shooting for her documentary film on G. Roerich.
2002–2012: worked as an Executive Director/Curator of the Roerich Trust, Naggar, India. Under her leadership, the Trust evolved to a recognized international hub of Culture, Art and education in the lines of the Roerichs’ legacy. 2003: she founded Art College for local youth, being the only such institution in Himachal Pradesh state: 170 students, 7 years courses (with BA degree) in Classical Indian music, dance, painting, and special courses in wood carving, weaving and folk drama. International level functions, modern art exhibitions, seminars, conferences, poetic meetings, art films screening, etc., were regularly organized in the Trust; museum research work, resulting in a computerized inventory; extensive publication work, printing 25 books, posters, cards, calendars and various souvenirs.
2011 – Recipient of the Order of Friendship, the highest Russian decoration for foreign citizens.
2013–2021: underwent Karmic Astrology training at the renowned Moscow Astrological Centre “Doctor Gaspar”, translates its founder’s astrology books from Russian to English and conducts astrology seminars in different cities.
From 2018, A. Adamkova is engaged in a big project (jointly with WMEA, AZ, US) of translating original Helena Roerich Notebooks from Russian to English.