Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 45-anniversary celebrations of the Art of Living and the 70 birthday of its founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bengaluru on May 10.
This will be the first visit of the Prime Minister to Karnataka after the elections to five state Assemblies, and the local BJP unit is gearing up to accord a reception on his arrival at the HAL airport for the party’s victory in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry.
Modi is expected to inaugurate the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir (meditation hall) along with year-long projects focused on mental well-being, rural development, nature conservation and social transformation.
“The Art of Living taught people to act with awareness, compassion, and rootedness. That is yoga in its truest sense. And this is why, when the world today looks for answers to anxiety, to conflict, to disconnection — it looks, increasingly, toward India,” he said ahead of the event.
According to the Art of Living, the event will draw participants from every walk of life—government leaders and civil servants, farmers and engineers, homemakers and CEOs, students and senior citizens, as well as thousands of international delegates.
Talking about the journey, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, “The sign of a healthy society is to see a smile on every face. That is the goal we have been working towards for 45 years.”
Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living has grown into a global, volunteer-driven humanitarian and educational organisation.
Born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu on May 13, 1956, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar started reciting the Bhagavad Gita at an early age, showing an inclination towards spirituality. By 17, he had graduated in modern physics, blending science with spirituality. During a 10-day period of silence, he developed Sudarshan Kriya, a breathing technique now practiced globally.
Over the past four decades, the Art of Living has expanded to over 180 countries, with a network of 37,000 programme leaders and more than a million volunteers.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) in Geneva in 1997, a global platform for humanitarian initiatives.
A global meditation for world peace, led by Shankar and open to all, will be held on May 13 and live-streamed worldwide.
