Marco Ferrini was born in Pisa (Italy) in 1945. After graduating from the Magistero d’Arte of Florence, he began his apprenticeship under an antiquarian of international reputation esteemed by prestigious art museums. In 1967 he launched his professional interior design firm, through which he would collaborate with major Italian and international private clients and some of the most highly regarded Italian and international industrial firms in the field.



Since a young age, he was drawn to inquire on the most fundamental principles of life and at the age of 31 undertook an ancient discipline and spiritual path. The turning point came in 1976: when he met the saintly Vaishnava A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977), one of the most authoritative representers of the spiritual and philosophical thought of India, ambassador of Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Love) in the West, who became his spiritual Master and initiated him with the name Matsya Avatar das.



After years of several journeys to the most sacred sites of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism in India and of intense spiritual practice of devotional service, in 1995 he founded the Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta: Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies, today recognized by the MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research), providing accredited training courses for teachers and Italian school staff, in accordance with Directive 170/16.

The institution immediately engaged in the spreading of the universal wisdom of Yoga Psychology and Philosophy, with particular focus on the teachings of Bhakti Yoga according to the Vaishnava tradition, always integrating in the offered curriculum the Eastern vision with the Western one.

Marco Ferrini's aim is to preserve the holy scriptures and traditions of the Vaishnavas, the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Itihasas, Yoga Darshana and Ayurveda, to study them, following academic methods, in their historical and philosophical context, inspired by the teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and widespread through this Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies, Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta.

Characteristic of his activity as an educator is an authentic attention to the person, whom he listens to according to his or her needs with humanity, expertly valorises in his or her potentialities, and considers in his or her widest evolutional vocation.

“In recognition of his contribution to the dissemination of the Vedic knowledge throughout the world, entirely dedicated and without other purposes, to the authentic spirit of Vedas for the wellbeing and welfare of humanity”, in 2012 the President of India and the Chancellor of the Dev Sanskriti University in Haridwar awarded him the gold medal with a honorary certificate along with the academic title of Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy Honoris Causa.

With over 40 years teaching career, Marco Ferrini is author of more than a thousand publications, including audios, videos and books, that, in a modern key, repropose the Indo-Vedic historical, sociological, philosophical, psychological and spiritual thought, within the dialogue between East and West, between modernity and tradition.