It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ghanshyam Singh Birla, a beautiful soul who left this world peacefully on January 22^nd, 2024, in his 82^th year surrounded by the love of his family and friends.

Besides being a constant source of inspiration and encouragement, Ghanshyam was a college professor, Vedic scholar, and world-renowned palmist who immigrated from India to Quebec 50 years ago with one goal in mind—to help others live happier and healthier lives through the ancient science of palmistry.

He was introduced to palmistry in his native India when, as a young boy, he assisted his grandfather (a respected palmist, astrologer and holistic healer) as he cared for and counselled villagers at the free Ayurveda clinic the Birla family operated from their home near the Himalayas.

Ghanshyam attended university in New Delhi, where he graduated in Sanskrit studies and became a professor of physical education. However, his love of Vedic palmistry and his unshakable belief that this ancient science could make the world a better place prompted him to immigrate to the West in 1972. Settling in Montreal, he founded the Birla Center that, thanks to his passion and deep-rooted devotion to advancing the Vedic healing arts, quickly became a hub of activity in the city’s Westmount district.

In 1998, Ghanshyam fulfilled another lifelong dream—opening a Wellness Center in a rural setting where his clients could renew themselves in body, mind and heart while enjoying the freshest air and cleanest water Mother Nature had to offer. Located near the hamlet of Chénéville in Quebec’s Outaouais region, the Wellness Center attracted hundreds of international visitors who came to learn about palmistry and take advantage of the Center’s pristine 500-acre forest preserve, stream-fed private lake, hiking trails and meditation rooms.

Indeed, Ghanshyam loved the peace and natural beauty of the Chénéville Center so much, he made it his home. People travelled there from all over the world to consult with him as well as with his small team of dedicated Vedic professionals, most of whom had been with Ghanshyam for decades and who were at his side when he passed.

It was at the Wellness Center that Ghanshyam wrote many of the books, programs and lectures that, all form a large part of his legacy, and that were all designed to make his beloved palmistry more accessible to the general public. Through his efforts he hoped to bring palmistry into the mainstream and make it as familiar and popular in the West as other Vedic sciences from India, such as yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic medicine.

Like so many small business owners, Covid-19 hit Ghanshyam hard and forced him to close both his Montreal offices and the Wellness Center in Chénéville. However, not one to be daunted by a global pandemic, Ghanshyam ensured that the Birla Center continued its work (and continued to thrive) by placing all of its courses, programs and services online. Thanks to Ghanshyam, the Birla Center is now one of the most popular online palmistry centers in the world.

The Birla team continues Ghanshyam’s life’s work and legacy with the same passion and dedication.

Ghanshyam will be sorely missed by his family and the thousands of people whose lives he touched with his enormous, generous heart, his kind and loving nature, his infectious laughter, selfless support, and, of course, his world-famous bear hugs. Perhaps no one will miss him more than his team at the Birla Center who loved him deeply, worked side by side with him since the 1970’s, and who vow to carry on his work and keep his name alive.