Driven by her sheer determination to succeed, Pietermaritzburg mother and successful attorney Yugandrie Maharaj has become one of the most respected names in the legal profession.
Outspoken, courageous, ambitious and spiritual, Maharaj is proud of her Indian roots and is grounded by her belief in the teachings of the Art of Living Foundation and humanitarian work.
Despite being part of an industry that bears a reputation for being cut throat and status-driven, Maharaj draws on her spiritual side to give the legal profession a human face that will inspire others to emulate. Not content with just running a successful and prosperous law firm she has embarked on a journey to spread the paradigm - for a business to grow and be truly sustainable it needs to have heart, be grounded in people and be profoundly generous.
She holds a BA (LAW) LLB degree from the then University of Durban-Westville and while Maharaj enjoys much success now her story is one of rags to riches. Her journey was not always this rosy. She is not shy to admit her childhood, especially her formative years were very “traumatic”. Maharaj says, “I was the eldest in a family of three children with an alcoholic father and a simple, humble mother.”
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Maharaj and her family struggled through poverty and unemployment, domestic abuse, personal health issues and the limitations placed on them by apartheid. Instead of succumbing to bitterness, anger and self-pity, she became a feisty activist in the anti-apartheid struggle and later found spiritual sustenance and direction from organisations influenced by the spiritual master, Sri Sri Ravi Shanker.
After much hardship, Maharaj completed her legal studies and 14 years ago become an attorney. Her determination and desire to excel and deepen her knowledge saw Maharaj go on to seek out experience in family & divorce law, commercial law, insolvency law, criminal and civil litigation as well as conveyancing. Her success is most evident in the formidable R10 million property portfolio she has subsequently built.
But as far as success goes the sky is not the limit for Maharaj. She has not forgotten the bumpy road she had travelled, nor does she ignore the fact that there are still so many people, particularly women, trapped in poverty, limited by circumstance and the lack of opportunity, and who needed help in shifting their mindsets.
She began by rebranding her firm: Yugandrie Maharaj Incorporated, into the highly successful YMi. As a brand it is now poised to leverage opportunities in:
Partnering with local municipalities, Maharaj’s social investments have profoundly transformed communities by combining entrepreneurial skills with the spiritual concepts found in meditation; stress release and wellness techniques and yoga. Maharaj has also played a central role in various development initiatives including being a member of the International Association of Human Values; executive director of Sari for Change - a women’s empowerment organisation; and CEO of Life with a Purpose; as well as conducting numerous international courses on self-mastery.
Michelle Mone (OBE), a leading UK designer observed of Maharaj: “I have experienced Yugandrie as inspiring, dedicated and willing to go the extra mile. She is certainly a leader of leaders and dedicates her time, energy and effort to her vision of inspiring and empowering people of all ages and globally. She is an empowered woman and a role model to many. She will leave a legacy of leadership for generations to come as she takes her message and services to the world.”
Maharaj has taken her own challenging circumstances and not only overcame her victimhood but packaged that experience into an insightful seminar and philosophy entitled: Transform your Health, Wealth & your Life. The write-up of the seminar poignantly sums it up: “Yugandrie Maharaj encourages you to discover your true personal power and innocence and gives you ways to fulfil the unimaginable potential of your unique path in life, by releasing the pain and limitations of past conditioning.”
It is this treasure that she is packing into her suitcase when she represents South Africa this week in the United States (Boston, Atlanta, Florida) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam).
For interview requests, access to photos and media queries please contact Dee’s on media@jtcomms.co.za or (011) 788 7632
Issued by JT Communication Solutions on behalf of Yugandrie Maharaj - http://www.yugandrie.co.za/
Note to Editor:
Personal:
Academic:
Experience:
Community and Cultural:
Yugandrie is also:
