Skip to main content

Climate activist Madame Gandhi to deliver lecture and musical performance at Memorial Church

Kiran Gandhi, MST ’22, an activist on climate and gender empowerment, returns to Stanford Jan. 30-31 for lecture, discussion, music, and meditation.

Artist and climate activist Madame Gandhi, who holds a master’s in music science and technology from Stanford, will deliver the 2023 Roger W. Heyns Lecture in Religion and Society next week.

Madame Gandhi (Image credit: Madame Gandhi)

Her presentation, which will include a talk and question-and-answer session followed by a musical performance, begins at 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 30, at Memorial Church.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, she will lead a 30-minute guided meditation for the campus community at 8 a.m. at MemChu and participate in a d.school discussion, “Climate Futures: Another Run Around the Sun,” at 6 p.m.

Madame Gandhi is the stage name of Kiran Gandhi, MST ’22, a drummer who began producing music in 2015. She holds an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and MBA from Harvard.

“We look forward to welcoming Madame Gandhi back to Stanford for her compelling message of empowerment and action,” said Tiffany L. Steinwert, dean for religious and spiritual life. “Whether through spoken word or electronic music or quiet meditation, she offers a powerful, inspiring message that should resonate with our community.”

As an activist, she is known for her message of gender liberation and personal power. Her Stanford research took her to Antarctica where, as described on her website, she sampled “the sounds of glaciers melting to create empathy and awareness around climate change.”

“I am very excited to be returning to campus at the start of this auspicious new year,” Madame Gandhi said. “Monday’s lecture will be about using your passion for purpose, living life from a heart space, and meeting your own needs so that you always have something to give.”

The annual lecture, whose namesake was a member of the MemChu congregation for nearly 20 years, focuses on problems and challenges of religion and community. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Stanford ID is required for the meditation session and registration is required for the d.school panel.