Ravi Shankar (born 13 May 1956) is an Indian
yoga guru
Modern yoga gurus are people widely acknowledged to be gurus of modern yoga in any of its forms, whether religious or not. The role implies being well-known and having a large following; in contrast to the old guru-shishya tradition, the modern ...
,
a spiritual leader. He is frequently referred to as
Sri Sri (honorific), Guru ji, or Gurudev.
From around the mid 1970s, he worked as an
apprentice
Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...
under
Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma, 12 January 1918 , the founder of
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...
. In 1981, he split from the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and founded the
Art of Living foundation.
Life
Ravi Shankar was born in
Papanasam
Papanasam is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Kumbakonam. The name literally translates to "Destruction of Sins" in the Tamil language. It is the suburban region ...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
, to Vishalakshi and R.S.Venkat Ratnam. He is the brother of
Bhanumathi Narasimhan
''Gurudev: On the Plateau of the Peak'' is a biography of Ravi Shankar (spiritual leader), Ravi Shankar, a spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living Foundation. The author of the book is his sister Bhanumathi Narasimhan.
Overview
''Guru ...
.
He was named "
Ravi Ravi may refer to:
People
* Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director
* Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist
* Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
" (a common Indian name which means "sun") because his birth was on a Sunday, and "Shankar" after the eighth-century Hindu saint,
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
, whose birthday was the same day as Ravi Shankar.
Ravi Shankar's first teacher was
Sudhakar Chaturvedi, an Indian Vedic Scholar and a close associate of
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
.
He holds a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree from the
St. Joseph's College of
Bengaluru University. After graduation, Shankar travelled with his second teacher,
,
giving talks and arranging conferences on Vedic science, and setting up
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...
and
Ayurveda
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...
centers.
In the 1980s, Shankar initiated a series of practical and experiential courses in spirituality around the globe. He says that his rhythmic breathing practice, Sudarshan Kriya, came to him in 1982, "like a poem, an inspiration", after a ten-day period of silence on the banks of the
Bhadra River in
Shivamogga, in the state of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
, adding, "I learned it and started teaching it".
In 1983, Shankar held the first Art of Living course in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. In 1986, he travelled to
Apple Valley, California, in the US to conduct the first course to be held in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
Philosophy and teachings
Spirituality
Shankar believes spirituality is that which enhances human values such as love, compassion and enthusiasm. It is not limited to any one religion or culture. Hence it is open to all people. He feels the spiritual bond we share as part of the human family is more prominent than nationality, gender, religion, profession, or other identities that separate us.
According to him, science and spirituality are linked and compatible, both springing from the urge to know. The question, "Who am I?" leads to spirituality; the question, "What is this?" leads to science. Emphasizing that joy is only available in the present moment, his stated vision is to create a world free of stress and violence. His programs are said to offer practical tools to help accomplish this. He sees breath as the link between body and mind, and a tool to relax the mind, emphasising the importance of both meditation/spiritual practice and service to others. In his view, "Truth is spherical rather than linear; so it has to be contradictory."
Peace and humanitarian work
Pakistan
He visited Pakistan in 2004 on a
goodwill mission and again in 2012 when he inaugurated Art of Living centers in
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
and
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
. The Islamabad center was burned down by armed men in March 2014.
Iraq
During his visits to Iraq, at the invitation of Prime Minister
Nouri al Maliki
Nouri Kamil Muhammad-Hasan al-Maliki ( ar, نوري المالكي; born 20 June 1950), also known as Jawad al-Maliki (), is secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party and was the prime minister of Iraq from 2006 to 2014 and the vice president ...
, in 2007 and again in 2008, he met with political and religious leaders to promote global peace. In November 2014, Ravi Shankar visited the relief camps in
Erbil
Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000.
Hu ...
, Iraq. He also hosted a conference to address the dire condition of
Yazidis
Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking Endogamy, endogamous minority group who are indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran ...
and other non-Muslims in the region.
Colombia and FARC
In June 2015, Ravi Shankar met with the delegations of
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
n government and the
FARC who were negotiating
the resolution to Colombian conflict in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. . He urged FARC leaders to follow the
Gandhian principle of non-violence to attain their political objectives and social justice. For his efforts, Colombia's House of Representatives awarded him the
Simón Bolívar Order of Democracy, Knight Cross grade.
Venezuela
In 2019, Ravi Shankar met with
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
n leaders from both sides to encourage dialogue, end the political conflict and restore peace and stability in the country.
Kashmir, India
The South Asian Forum for Peace was launched in November 2016 at a conference titled "Kashmir Back to Paradise" in
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...
. According to Ravi Shankar, 90% of people in
Kashmir
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
want peace but are neglected. He added, "The solution to the Kashmir problem can only come from the Kashmiris". This forum is intended to bring together eight South Asian countries to cooperate in areas such as entrepreneurship, skill development, cultural exchange, educational partnerships and women's empowerment.
Northeast India
68 militants from 11 militant outfits surrendered to the government in Manipur on the eve of India's 71st Independence Day in August 2017. The Chief Minister of Manipur,
N. Biren Singh
Nongthombam Biren Singh ( Meitei pronunciation: /nōng-thōm-bam bī-ren sīng/; born 1 January 1961) is an Indian politician, former footballer and journalist, who is currently serving as the Chief Minister of Manipur for the second term sin ...
, lauded Ravi Shankar for his efforts in making this happen and "bringing peace in troubled areas". Ravi Shankar's organization has been working in Manipur for the last 15 years.
In September 2017, at the "Strength in Diversity - North East Indigenous People's Conference", Ravi Shankar claimed that another 500 militants were waiting to "lay down weapons and join the peace process". The conference was attended by representatives from 67 rebel outfits from the Northeast. Expressing his willingness to facilitate the peaceful transition of any rebel group wanting to join the mainstream, Ravi Shankar claimed that his organization has been working for this for the last 10–12 years and "will continue to work until the last gun is laid down".
Former ULFA General Secretary,
Anup Chetia
Anup Chetia ( Assamese: অনুপ চেতিয়া) (real name Golap Baruah also known as Sunil Baruah, Bhaijan or Ahmed) is the General Secretary of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam in Assam. He is also one of the founder le ...
, who was also the convenor of the conference, appreciated Ravi Shankar's interest and efforts for peace in the region.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir dispute
Ravi Shankar's efforts at mediation in the
Ayodhya dispute in 2017 received a mixed response from both Hindu and Muslim leaders. Based on
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
's suggestion for an out-of-court settlement, he proposed a mutual compromise where both communities "gift" neighbouring pieces of land to each other. This proposal was met with a lot of skepticism and resistance.
In March 2019, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of India to a 3-member mediation committee tasked with finding a resolution for the case in 8 weeks.
In its final
verdict, the
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
assigned the disputed land to a trust for building a temple and an alternate piece of land nearby to build a mosque.
Interfaith Dialogue
Ravi Shankar is involved in
interfaith dialogue and currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the
Elijah Interfaith Institute
Elijah Interfaith Institute is a nonprofit, international, UNESCO-sponsored interfaith organization which was founded by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein in 1997.
Headquartered in Jerusalem, Elijah has offices and representatives in different c ...
. Through interfaith summits in 2008 and 2010, he has been engaging faith-based leaders for collective action against HIV. In July 2013 at a meeting in
UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva, issues including HIV prevention, gender based violence, stigma and discrimination were discussed.
Prison Program
In 1992, he started a prison programme to rehabilitate prison inmates and help them reintegrate into society.
Awards and recognition
*
Padma Vibhushan, India's Second Highest Civilian Award, January 2016
*Dr Nagendra Singh International Peace Award, India, November 2016
*Peru's Highest Award, "Medalla de la Integración en el Grado de Gran Oficial" (Grand Officer)
*Colombia's highest civilian award, "Orden de la Democracia Simón Bolívar"
*
Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Prize
, mottoeng = And there was light (literal translation of Latin itself translated from Hebrew: "And light was made")
, type = Private historically black men's liberal arts college
, academic_affiliations ...
*Highest civilian award "National Order of Mérito de Comuneros", Paraguay, 13 September 2012
*Illustrious citizen by the Paraguayan Municipality, 12 September 2012
*Illustrious guest of the city of Asunción, Paraguay, 12 September 2012
*Tiradentes Medal, the highest honour from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 3 September 2012
*The Sivananda World Peace award, Sivananda Foundation, South Africa, 26 August 2012
*Crans Montana Forum Award, Brussels, 24 June 2011
*Culture in Balance Award, World Culture Forum, Dresden Germany, 10 October 2009
*Phoenix Award, Atlanta, USA, 2008
*Honorary Citizenship and Goodwill Ambassador, Houston, USA, 2008
*Proclamation of Commendation, New Jersey, USA 2008
*Sant Shri Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize, Pune, India, 11 January 2007
*Order of the Pole Star, Mongolia, 2006
*Bharat Shiromani Award, New Delhi, India, 2005
* Honorary Doctorates from – Universidad Autónoma de Asunción of Paraguay,
Buenos Aires University, Argentina; Siglo XXI University Campus, Cordoba, Argentina; Nyenrode Business University, Netherlands; Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur
In 2009, Shankar was named by ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' magazine as the fifth most powerful leader in India.
Reception
In 2012, Ravi Shankar, while attending a function in
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi Language, Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Rajasthan. , the city had a pop ...
, claimed that some Indian government schools are breeding grounds for
Naxalism, a movement of militant communist groups in India declared to be terrorist organisations. "All government schools and colleges should be privatised. The government should not run any school. It's often found that children from government schools get into Naxalism and violence. Children from private schools don't get into this," he was quoted as saying by media reports. Later, Shankar issued a clarification that he didn't mean that all government schools breed Naxalism. More clarification followed on his Twitter account: "I specifically referred to sick government schools in Naxal affected areas. Many who have turned to Naxalism have come from these schools. I did not say all Govt schools (where lakhs study) breed Naxalism. Great talents have emerged from these schools & I would never generalize." In March 2018, he faced criticism from political leaders for his commentary, where he said, India will turn into Syria if the
Ram temple issue is not resolved soon.
Bibliography
* ''An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker''; Vol. 1: , Vol. 2: , Vol. 3: , Vol. 4: , Vol. 5: , Vol. 6: , Vol. 7:
* ''Buddha: manifestation of silence'',
* 1999 – ''Be A Witness: The Wisdom of the Upanishads'', 106 pp.
* 2000 – ''God Loves Fun'', 138 pp.
* 2001 – ''Celebrating Silence: Excerpts from Five Years of Weekly Knowledge 1995–2000'', 206 pp.
* ''Celebrating Love''
* 2005 – ''Narada Bhakti Sutra'', 129 pp.
*''Hinduism & Islam, the common thread'', 34 pp, 2002
* ''Secrets of Relationships'', Arktos, 2014
* ''Patanjali Yoga Sutras'', Arktos, 2014
* ''Ashtavakra Gita'', 2010,
* ''Management Mantras'', Arktos, 2014
* ''Know Your Child: The Art of Raising Children'', Arktos, 2014
Biography
*
See also
*
List of peace activists
This list of peace activists includes people who have proactively advocated diplomatic, philosophical, and non-military resolution of major territorial or ideological disputes through nonviolent means and methods. Peace activists usually work ...
References
Bibliography
* (First edition: India, Books Today, 2002. )
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shankar, Ravi
1956 births
Living people
Nonviolence advocates
21st-century Hindu religious leaders
Hindu mystics
Indian Hindu spiritual teachers
Indian spiritual writers
People from Thanjavur district
Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in other fields
St. Joseph's College, Bangalore alumni
University and college founders
Indian environmentalists
Transcendental Meditation exponents
Neo-Vedanta
Neo-Advaita teachers
20th-century Indian philosophers
Modern yoga gurus