Ani Choying Drolma

ANI CHOYING DROLMA

JOINS HOST DANIEL AITKEN FOR A SPECIAL EPISODE OF
WISDOM DHARMA CHATS
ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025, AT 7:00 PM EDT

We are honored to welcome Ani Choying Drolma—a beloved Nepalese Buddhist nun, humanitarian, and internationally renowned vocalist—for a special episode of Wisdom Dharma Chats with host Daniel Aitken.

Ani-la will share insights into her spiritual journey—from a childhood marked by hardship to finding sanctuary in monastic life and ultimately discovering music as both a refuge and a powerful vehicle for compassion. Together, she and Daniel will explore how music can become a spiritual practice in its own right. They will discuss Ani-la’s remarkable humanitarian work, including the founding of the Arya Tara School, which empowers young nuns, and how she continues to use her voice—not only in song but in service—to uplift the lives of others.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear from an inspiring Buddhist figure—an artist, activist, and teacher who reminds us what’s possible when the Dharma is expressed not only through words, but through action, melody, and deep, unwavering care.

JOIN OUR LIVE IN-STUDIO AUDIENCE IN NEW YORK CITY

This is a ticket to be a live studio audience member during the filming of the Wisdom Dharma Chat episode with Ani Choying Drolma on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 132 Perry St., New York, NY 10014. 

Tickets for the in-studio audience are available for $20.00, the proceeds of which help make Wisdom Dharma Chats possible. Doors will open at 6:20 p.m. and will close promptly at 6:55 p.m. Please do not be late. The Wisdom Dharma Chat will start at 7:00 p.m. and will last until approximately 8:45 p.m. including a short intermission around 8:00 p.m.

Seats are limited, so please be sure to reserve a ticket for the in-studio audience if you plan on coming in person.

OR, REGISTER TO SAVE YOUR SEAT IN OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE AND WATCH OVER ZOOM

Ani Choying Drolma

Ani Choying Drolma is a Nepalese Buddhist nun renowned for her numerous humanitarian efforts, including the education of young girls, care of older people, and providing medical services for the underprivileged and dispossessed. Her efforts have been constantly praised and emulated, and her autobiography, Singing for Freedom, has been published in eleven languages and is listed as an international bestseller. As of this writing, Ani is not yet 40!

To support her many charitable activities, Ani performs worldwide singing traditional and modernized Buddhist chants as well as Nepali and Tibetan songs. She has performed for countless fans. Last year, she was heard in nine countries. In 2011, she is scheduled to perform in eleven. She is a charming, attractive, vibrant, and eloquent performer, admired by fans in Nepal and throughout the world. The haunting melodies of her ancient songs and hymns have been passed from master to pupil for many centuries.

Ani believes, if given equal opportunities, nuns have the potential to make the world a better place. One of her great and early accomplishments was the creation of the Arya Tara School, which opened in 2000. The school aims to equip nuns with the abilities and skills necessary to professionally serve their communities in a humanitarian capacity. Arya Tara School helps young nuns harness their compassion in effective, meaningful ways. “Traditionally,” says Ani, “women’s education is neglected in Asia. Most of the girls at my nunnery are from rural areas where women are expected just to cook, clean, and bear children. Many cannot write their own names.” The school educates them in literacy, math, and science, as well as medical and nursing skills and Buddhist philosophy.

In 1997, Ani began performing and recording her music for audiences around the world. She was discovered by a young American guitarist named Steve Tibbets, who heard her chanting. Upon returning to Nepal, he recorded her and subsequently added accompaniment; the result was the best-selling album called Cho. Since then, she has gone on to record multiple CDs and gained international fame and popularity.

Daniel Aitken

Daniel is the CEO and Publisher of Wisdom Publications, as well as the host of the popular Wisdom Podcast and Wisdom Dharma Chats. In addition to publishing some of the most important books and online courses on Buddhism, he has interviewed over 200 Buddhist masters from a variety of Buddhist traditions. Daniel has a PhD in Buddhist Philosophy. His lifelong interest in Tibetan Buddhism, the Tibetan language, and its literature has taken him across Australia, America, India, Nepal, and Tibet to pursue a deeper understanding of Buddhist theory and practice with some of the greatest masters from the living tradition.