Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Name	Ravi Shankar
Birth date	13 May 1956
Birth place	Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation	Spiritual leader, humanitarian, founder
Known for	Art of Living Foundation, Sudarshan Kriya
Awards	Padma Vibhushan, Legion of Honour

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is an Indian spiritual leader and humanitarian known for founding the Art of Living Foundation and promoting breathing-based practices and conflict-resolution initiatives. His work spans interfaith dialogue, disaster relief, education, and peace mediation, engaging actors from civil society, religious institutions, and state actors across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. He has been both widely honored and subject to public controversy, involving legal, environmental, and organizational disputes.

Early life and education

Born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, Ravi Shankar studied engineering at Stella Maris College, Chennai and later attended Saraswati Ashram and other gurukula-style settings under teachers associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi-era networks and traditional Advaita Vedanta lineages. During his formative years he spent time in ashrams linked to the Gita commentarial tradition and encountered figures from Ramakrishna Mission, Aurobindo Ashram, and contemporaries influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti and Neem Karoli Baba. His early exposure included interactions with leaders from Indian National Congress cultural circles and academic contacts at institutions such as University of Madras and regional technical colleges.

Spiritual teachings and Art of Living

Ravi Shankar developed a program centered on the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique, pranayama variants, meditation, and satsang formats that synthesize practices from Yoga, Bhagavad Gita interpretation, Vedanta, and elements present in traditions represented by Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda. The Art of Living curriculum incorporates guided breathing, mantra recitation, and stress-elimination modules offered through workshops similar to courses run by organizations like Theosophical Society and certain Vipassana networks. His public talks and retreats have been delivered at venues including United Nations, Harvard University, Oxford University, and interreligious forums attended by representatives from Catholic Church, Islamic World League, Buddhist Sangha, and Jewish Agency delegations.

Organizational work and initiatives

The Art of Living Foundation grew into a global NGO with regional centers modeled after nonprofit structures used by organizations such as Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Red Cross. Its programs include health initiatives, teacher training reminiscent of projects by UNICEF and World Health Organization, and environmental campaigns echoing efforts by Greenpeace and WWF. The organization has partnered with national and state bodies in India like Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with corporate collaborations similar to those engaged by Tata Group and Infosys through employee-wellness programs. It established educational projects paralleling models from Teach For India and vocational schemes akin to National Skill Development Corporation-style interventions.

Global outreach and humanitarian activities

Ravi Shankar and his organizations have participated in peace negotiations and humanitarian relief in conflict and post-conflict zones, working alongside mediators and institutions like United Nations Peacekeeping, African Union, ASEAN, and regional bodies including SAARC. Initiatives include disaster response after earthquakes and tsunamis comparable to operations by UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières, community rehabilitation in countries such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Colombia, and mediation efforts that engaged political actors from parties like Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Kurdistan Democratic Party, and delegations from Israel and Palestinian Authority. Health and wellbeing campaigns have addressed stress, trauma, and addiction with techniques similar to psychosocial programs implemented by World Bank-funded projects.

Controversies and legal issues

His movement has faced controversies including environmental disputes over riverfront development projects comparable to cases involving National Green Tribunal (India), land-use conflicts akin to litigation involving Auroville, and allegations related to organizational governance paralleling scrutiny faced by other large NGOs like Sangh Parivar-linked entities. High-profile legal matters involved investigations by agencies with roles similar to Central Bureau of Investigation and public interest litigations filed in courts such as the Supreme Court of India and various state high courts. Critics and scholars have compared debates around his techniques to controversies involving Transcendental Meditation and regulatory inquiries seen in cases involving Ananda Marga and other modern spiritual movements.

Awards and recognition

He has received multiple honors from state and international bodies including civilian awards comparable to the Padma Vibhushan and international distinctions like the Legion of Honour; honorary degrees from universities in the United States, United Kingdom, and India; and peace prizes similar to recognitions bestowed by organizations such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and private foundations modeled on the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize. His recognition roster includes invitations to speak at assemblies such as the European Parliament, meetings at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and cultural events alongside figures from Nobel Prize circles, Dalai Lama, and leaders from global civil society.

Category:Indian spiritual teachers Category:Living people Category:1956 births