Janaki Natarajan Tschannerl

May  28th, 1941 December  27th, 2024
Janaki Natarajan Tschannerl

"We must humanize the world so that it becomes impossible to pull the trigger." 
                            

"Who owns? Who labours? Who benefits?"

                                                      - Janaki Natarajan Tschannerl

Obituary

Dr. Janaki Natarajan Tschannerl, 83, passed away peacefully on December 27th 2024 after a brief illness. A beloved lifelong educator and political activist, she is known for her unwavering love, energy, and commitment to social justice and the struggles of poor and working class peoples. She will be deeply missed.

Janaki was born in Bangalore, south India, on May 28th 1941 to Dr. C.V. Natarajan and Smt. Saraswathi Natarajan. The family home was full of music, literature, and activity in the milieu of the growing movement for Indian independence from colonial rule. Both parents were committed to anti-caste principles despite their Brahminical origins. Janaki’s father, a physician and public health director, would treat patients of all castes and ailments in their home. At Gandhiji’s behest, her mother founded an all-girls school for the lowest caste (Dalit). Janaki too embraced these ideals, and after completing secondary school, participated in the Sarvodaya movement. She joined one of Gandhiji’s disciples, Vinobhaji, with many others in a year-long walk from Delhi to the Burma border promoting land reform and protesting the impending India-China war. Intrigued by ideas of new ways to organize social life and production, she traveled to the Middle East to experience life on a kibbutz, learning from the contradiction of these ideals in the context of occupied Palestine.

Janaki went to England then the US to further her studies, attending Brynmawr and Swarthmore, where she earned her BA in Comparative Literature in 1966. She went on to receive a Doctorate of Education in Sociology from Harvard University in 1970. It was the height of the Vietnam war, and the streets were in political motion. While in Boston, Janaki engaged in student protests on the Harvard campus. She also met and had an influence on Daniel Ellsberg, ultimately playing a role in assisting with the release of the Pentagon Papers, an act largely credited with helping to bring an end to the war. This experience and the cauldron of ideas emerging from the civil rights movement and global anti-colonial struggles, ultimately led her to Tanzania to teach at the University of Dar es Salaam for close to a decade. She met and studied with Dr. Walter Rodney and Samir Amin, and actively supported African liberation movements in the continent. Janaki also taught political economy for nearly a decade at universities in China, where she learned from the rich debates and accounts of Bill and Joan Hinton.

Throughout her teaching, Janaki maintained a political commitment to giving her students tools to inquire about the origin of their own ideas, and providing grounded experiences from which to change them. In the US, she taught in environments ranging from public schools and prisons, to universities including Dartmouth College, Keene State, SIT, and Marlboro College. She gave guest lectures in the US, India, and Japan. Janaki deeply cared about the experiences of children, and ultimately founded two social justice-oriented teacher training programs to develop teachers committed to creating classrooms that would engage children in learning about and changing the world. She founded a nonprofit organization, Educational Praxis Inc, which now supports the Spark Teacher Training Institute and local educational activities in Vermont. Janaki continued to maintain and support the school her mother started in Bangalore, which served thousands of children for decades. She frequently arranged for her US students to spend months at Bapagrama school, learning to think and live differently while helping with logistics there. 

Janaki started a family in this international context, raising her two children in local schools in East Africa and China with her former husband. Motherhood was her greatest joy, and she was an incredibly devoted mom and grandmother. She moved to Vermont in the 1990s, where she stayed until her passing, living with her long time partner. A much-loved teacher, Janaki's household held a constant ebb and flow of current and former students, colleagues, and friends, many of whom became extended family.

Dr. Janaki Natarajan Tschannerl has left an indelible mark on all who have known her. Even those she met in passing will remember her kind and loving nature because she strove to create a human connection with every single person she met- doing so even in her final days. Janaki wanted her legacy to be in the work and actions of her students, in her words, "to support the best of human experiences and oppose the worst of human actions". So now it is up to us. The baton has been passed.

Janaki leaves behind her two children, Gautama Tschannerl (spouse Andrea Tschannerl) and Dr. Asiya Tschannerl (spouse Dr. Ernesto Guevara); two grandchildren, Seeta Guevara and Zaria Tschannerl; long-time partner Burke Cummings; father of her children and former husband Dr. Gerhard Tschannerl; nieces, nephews and cousins; countless former students and friends. She was predeceased by her parents and brother Dr. S.N. Balasubrahmanyam.

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Tributes

Please share your tribute or memories here.


January 22, 2025
My heart is full of feelings that I just can't seem to put into words. I am forever grateful for knowing Janaki. I met her as a student at SIT in '99 and was with her in India in 2000 and 2001. I have many wonderful memories of my time with her. I am in awe of how tirelessly she worked, loved, fought and gave. She will forever be in my heart. May she rest in peace.
Robin
Robin E Mitchell
January 20, 2025
I first spoke with Janaki nearly twenty years before we met in person. Even though I wasn't able to move to India to work in her family's school, just hearing about its existence opened my eyes, and starting the educational process of understanding its significance literally changed my life. And this was before I learned about the depth and breadth of her life and work. When I finally met her, it was like greeting a cherished friend. The world will miss her. Rest in peace, rest in power.
Michael Swanson
January 17, 2025
I only had the honor of meeting you once, but your energy and strength left a lasting mark on me. You were so brave—always pushing boundaries, standing up for what’s right, and embracing life with love and courage. Your commitment to family shone brightly in the way you raised my cousin, proving every day that a parent’s bond goes far beyond biology. You were ahead of your time, challenging the status quo and inspiring others to see a brighter, more inclusive future.

Your spirit lives on in the hearts of everyone who was touched by your generosity and vision. Thank you for showing the world that love, in all its forms, truly does win.

Rest in power.
Cousin Ré
January 17, 2025
On hearing of your death dear Janaki I was flooded with memories of our time together in India when I was a Peace Corpts volunteer. I remember you as the extraordinary woman you were graceful, gentle, beautiful, smart, arresting in your gaze. All of the PC volunteer men fell in love with you. I am so glad to have played a small part in bringing you and Burke back together after so many decades apart.
If one of your beloved daughters reads this tribute I would love to have you send me Burke's current email so that I can reach out to him at this time of losing his life love. Thank you. Please forwad contact information to torkinw@gmail.com
Torkin Wakefield
January 17, 2025
My first encounter with Janaki was my first day at SIT. At the introductory meeting I was beginning to think SIT was the wrong choice until Janaki started introducing herself. I immediately knew I was in the right place! Her classes and discussions solidified many of my beliefs and experiences.
It was a privilege to be around her radiant joy, wit, generosity, charisma, intellectual curiosity and firm beliefs in social justice.
I will miss her smile and laughter along with her insistent fight for marginalized communities.
Always in my heart.
debby buchan
January 17, 2025
I met Janaki at SIT in 2005 and like all of you who have met her and worked with her - she profoundly changed how I think and how I act in the world. She moved through the world lovingly but also with a scythe in one hand and a thick ass book in the other. She dug deep, asked questions, suggested we study the words of the best of our ancestors. I interviewed Janaki for my dissertation project in 2022 and before I pushed start on the recorder she said something along the lines of, I hold onto the ropes of my ancestors (Samir Amin, Walter Rodney, and others) to keep me grounded in my principles and to have clarity. She passed those ropes onto us. Rest in Power Amma.
Nina Kunimoto
January 17, 2025
She was one of a kind. The world needs more Janakis.
Zabryna and Michael
January 17, 2025
I had the privilege of being one of Janaki’s students at SIT.

From our very first meeting, I remember feeling like she “saw” me, and loved me; there have not been many people in my life who have made me feel that way in an instant: safe, valued, and understood.

I feel blessed to have crossed her path and am sending love to her family and friends.
Kim Pernice
January 15, 2025
She was THE MOST impactful teacher I’ve ever had! Rest in peace Dr. Tschannerl knowing you made a tremendous impact on many students in the Washington DC Area.
Natika White
January 15, 2025
Janaki was a giant. She had an unstoppable urge to serve humanity and help people find a way in which they could contribute to building a more just and equitable social order. She inherited this from her parents, who did the same at another time and in another place, India. She planted the conviction in the minds of many that their efforts were needed to make the world a better place for all. She was an unapologetic Marxist, making people aware of the true nature of capitalism and how it deprived many of a fulfilling life. Praxis built on dialectical materialism was her method. She was clear in her thoughts, always caring, and had a unique way of making those around her feel special.

I had the privilege to be with Janaki during the early period of her life. We went through many experiences together, living in different places, including Tanzania and China, always learning and teaching and arriving at a better understanding of the world. Janaki was always ahead of me, knowing what was the right path.

Many people loved her, including me. She will always be in my thoughts.
Gerhard Tschannerl
January 15, 2025
We were lucky when Asiya invited Janaki to teach young doctors in the Bronx. An inspiring soul and wonderful teacher! A great loss for many many people.
Dan O'Connell
January 14, 2025
As a colleague at SIT, Janaki always kept me on the balls of my feet --enlightening, challenging, and supporting in a beautiful mash-up. She gave her all to her students and to so many others. Her legacy and memory will be a lasting blessing to the world. Thank you, Janaki.
Marla Solomon
January 14, 2025
Words and Language no longer feel expansive, when trying to describe what Amma meant to me.

This is a poem for you, Amma!

When distressed, You were Refuge
When seeking knowledge, You were Teacher
When feeling desolate, You were Home
When in despair, You were Hope
When feeling lost, You were Path
When suffering, You were Antidote
When dispirited, You were Joy
You were an embodiment of Love, Compassion and Kindness
You lived and taught Dhamma - Dhamma of Social Justice
You built a Sangha - Sangha of Kindred Spirits
Amma, You were a Buddha

Love you and miss you so much!!! - Madhu
Madhu Narasiah
January 13, 2025
I met Janaki at a critical time in my life and she forever change the trajectory not just of the work I do, but how I think, how I relate to myself, to others and to the world. I was struggling with how to understand the world, the deep suffering and inequity and my role in it and I was so frustrated with the deep inadequacy of the tools I'd been given. I met Janaki in grad school and I stayed because of her---because of the questions she was asking, the way she presented a logic for what I was feeling and because of the community she created. As I was leaving grad school, she told me to go work for a union and I did. Almost 20 years later, I'm still an organizer. She offered me a set of tools to help analyze the world that I use daily. I have lifelong family because of what she created and the path she set me on. I'm forever grateful. As we struggle in this moment, in these conditions, may we forever be inspired by her life and her legacy.
Susanna Blankley
January 13, 2025
My first encounter was as a carpenter's helper doing some renovations and insulating in her house in the mid nineties. We only had a chance to talk at any length a half dozen or so times after that but I came away enriched at every one of the occasions. Her influence also impacted indirectly from the several Spark Institute student presentations I attended and in a couple participated. She had such a great, clear, illuminating analysis of world systems and events. A true humanitarian. She stood on solid ground. Oh, my heart aches!
Spoon Agave
January 13, 2025
Janaki creates teaching moments that leave powerful marks. I’m eternally grateful for the learning mark she’s left in me. Rest in Power! May your work continue to inspire the globe.
Belien
January 12, 2025
I first met my future Amma, Janaki, in 1991. I had just graduated from college and accompanied my sister to an open house at a DCPS high school. The school had assigned Janaki a room in the basement to teach, which I initially thought was an unsuitable setting for someone of her caliber. However, I soon realized it was never about where she taught but about the powerful message she imparted. From that day forward, she became an enduring and influential presence in my life.
My sister was fortunate to attend the school where Janaki taught, and this significantly shaped my career and personal life. Interestingly, Janaki's mother chose my wedding sari long before I was in a relationship. As time passed, I grew close to her children, who became like siblings to me.
One of my most cherished memories of Janaki is her love for humanity and simple passion for cereal. I often called her while she was in Vermont, asking, "What are you doing and eating?" Her playful response, "I’m in the kitchen eating my cereal," always made us laugh. Janaki’s unwavering love for her children, Asiya and Gautama, was evident in everything she did. Her radiant smile and warm voice had a unique way of touching my soul.
Because of Janaki, I am a woman who stands with my people, who are often underserved and invisible to society. I have adopted many quotes, but one stands out: "No peace can be obtained if any women, especially those who are oppressed and impoverished, are left out of the conversation' Janaki embodied this sentiment with her unwavering conviction. She empowered me to stand strong. Thank you for everything you have done for us.
I will carry on your legacy and be a game-changer without being left out of the conversation.
I will always love you, Amma. One of your many daughters, Avril
Avril Daniel
January 10, 2025
Janaki, your fierce love for humanity and unyielding fight for the marginalized worldwide was a beacon of hope and justice. You inspired us to dream of a better world and to work tirelessly to make it real. Your legacy lives on in every heart you touched. Rest in power, dear Janaki—you are deeply missed and forever loved.

Yirgalem Madie
January 10, 2025
Radical love, radical analysis and an indelible presence. What an amazing educator. I am proud to have learned from her and been hugged by her. She will be so missed by so many.
Corry Banton
January 10, 2025
Janaki, thank you for all the strength, kindness, generosity, analysis, good humor, love, wit, inspiration, time, thoughtfulness, courage, growth, and humanity you so freely shared with me and with us all. You've made a tremendous impact on my life and I am forever grateful to you for each moment we got to spend in conversation or just sitting together. All the photons that bounced off your beautiful face, the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your skin, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off you like children, their ways forever changed by you, as I am by your friendship. Thank you for having been and remaining, you!
Jason Schlatter
January 10, 2025
Meeting all of the women she had become by the time I met her at SIT was a gift. A real gift. Janaki simply moving and existing in the world as an example of change and has me now working in local government in affordable housing at a time I’m certain will be (yet again) a reverberating gavel for the importance of power in choice, what we choose choose to do with our minds and our bodies. To not give up power BEFORE it is TAKEN. She saw beyond the distractions, and she understood the real work happens in first building relationships, then character, and then ourselves with others; and she carried an important message that we must all “live in the world while we change the world”. To me, change is sometimes as impossible as carving our initials into the table that we clawed our way to in order to remind future generations where we sat or stood in our future. She asked me once, what made me different from my peers. I still don’t know the answer, but I know listening when the eerily familiar air becomes stale helps, and I know that when my whole body moves to speak and I’m terrified to do so, it’s the time to shout. 15 years later, my gift to her is to do my best to carry her gift to others. So much real, true love!

Picture of Tuesday’s work session with nonprofits’ fundraising. What is community?
Lisa Bailey
January 10, 2025
I met Janaki during my first day at SIT graduate institute. She made a statement that stopped me in my tracks (I can’t recall the exact statement) and made me rethink how and what I said. This became a common experience as I got to know her as an educator, a friend, a mentor, and as amma. She made ways for me to examine my assumptions that were so deeply held I did not even know (or admit) they were there. I became an educator because of the possibilities she and others showed me to cultivate the best of human experience and oppose the worst of humanity. During one of my last conversations with her, I shared that I (& we) would carry THE work forward. She emphatically urged to do MORE!
I will forever be grateful to have learned from and to have been loved by her.
Rest in power, Amma! 💥

All my love,
Atasi
Atasi Das
January 10, 2025
You have taught so many so much. Rest in power!
Tracy Grenier
January 9, 2025
Janaki was my beloved Brattleboro Area Middle School (BAMS) social studies teacher and a friend til the end — an incredible light that shaped many of our lives. Teacher Janaki, as we called her at BAMS, helped me understand how our economic system steals from working people, how it has not always been this way and thus does not have to be this way. She was a fierce ally against homophobia at a key moment on my journey, and an incredible mentor. We started the diversity program together at BUHS — I a student, she an educator. We secured a shoestring budget of $3K for the first year of the program, but she did magic with that, bringing in powerful speakers — important leaders from around the country, who inspired me to pursue health work and anti-war activism, which have become my careers. She talked to me about how a person's job has very little to do with how important they are, and how everyone has something to contribute to our society. She showed so much respect for working people. She helped me feel proud of my parents -- my mom cleaned houses and was a childcare provider, and my dad sold books and had other jobs here in Brattleboro. I saw Janaki stand up for janitors at the high school. And she would stand up to anyone! Like when she challenged Bernie Sanders, when he came to our school, on his support for the bombing of Kosovo. I learned so much from Janaki, and I am fortunate to have been her student.
Isaac Evans-Frantz
January 9, 2025
Janaki brought such love and understanding to my students, and to me, and will be sorely missed. May her teachings continue to live through our better selves.
Mitch Davis
January 9, 2025
It's strange to look back and realize the moment that your mind was opened, you began to think, but not only that, you began to critically think. Janaki gave me the gift of critical thinking. I will forever be grateful to her for every conversation, every moment we shared. She was a mentor, even if brief, and I will hold and cherish the time I spent with her always. Thank you Janaki for enabling me to look at the world through a new lens and to question.
Chloe Heiniemi
January 9, 2025
I am already thinking of books we should have had a chance to discuss and argue about!
Nancy Braus
January 9, 2025
Devastating loss for all of us & humanity. Janaki was a tower of strength, human compassion and intellect. Incredible person.
Bill Holiday

Service


Please join us to celebrate Janaki's life. At this service, timed around the anniversary of her birth, we will aim to cherish the moments shared and the joy she brought into our lives. 
Location
Virtual Zoom meeting
Date/time
Sunday May 25th 2025, 12pm EST
Virtual event
Zoom meeting details TBA

Donate

$ 2,329
Raised by 25 people
In lieu of flowers and in honor of Janaki, we invite you to contribute to the nonprofit organization she started, Educational Praxis, Inc. which helps support the Spark Teacher Training Institute (visit www.sparkteachered.org for more info) and educational activities in southern Vermont and beyond.

Donations can be made below or sent to:
Educational Praxis, Inc.
POB 409
Putney VT
05346
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