Igor Berkhin was born in the former Soviet Union, he began his spiritual path in the 1980s, behind the Iron Curtain. He has studied with many masters of various contemplative traditions and has also served as a translator. The most important of them is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, a well-known master of dzogchen. He has also translated for teachers such as the brother and sister teachers Khenchen Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, and the Bonpo master Nyima Dagpa Rinpoche.
Following his meeting with his root master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 1996, he was appointed by Him in 2002 as an instructor for the Santi Maha Sangha (SMS). The Santi Maha Sangha, which means “Dzogchen Community”, offers systematic learning and development opportunities in the fields of Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen, both theoretically and practically.