Youth can bring reform: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Youth can bring reform: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Academy spreads 'green' message

KOLKATA: Sri Sri Academy on Tuesday celebrated its second Founder's Day by organizing the annual exhibition, Prithvi Prayas - II, which focused on environmental concern.


Dr Nirupam Bajpai, director of Columbia Global Centers and senior development advisor at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York, graced the occasion as the chief guest and inaugurated the two-day programme. He also delivered a speech on "Sustainable Development in India - How can we grow and develop in the midst of climate change", explaininghow every individual can contribute towards fighting global warming and climate change.


"Scientific data shows us today that global warming is real and unless we change course, there'll be serious problems for humanity very soon. The biggest challenge lies in the fact that it is a global phenomenon and we need a global consensus to fight it,and we've tried instilling within them such values by organizing the exhibition" Bajpai said. He elucidated on factors that can control degeneration of the environment like carbon capture, saving water and electricity among other things. He also released the school magazine, Srikiran, on the occasion.


"Our founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whom we fondly call Guruji lays emphasis on caring for the planet. He says the earth nourishes us and it is important that we take care of it. Today's programme is a continuation of Guruji's vision," Suvina Shunglu, principal of the school, said. "Being environment-friendly is something that we need to teach children from a very young age. Children should be taught to appreciate the beauty of the earth and to value the gifts that it bestows on us. Read More

Love and Beauty

What are the signs of love? When you love someone you see nothing wrong in them. Even if you see a fault in them, you justify it in some way saying, "Everyone does that; it is normal." You think you have not done enough for them and the more you do, the more you want to do for them. They are always on your mind. Ordinary things become extraordinary. When you love someone, you want to see them happy always and you want them to have the best. Read More

Love and Existence - New book from Guruji

Love is not an emotion, it is your very existence. When you love someone you don't judge them. You always want them to be happy.Love is the phenomenon of total letting go.
Love is a path of joy, a path of singing and dancing.It is a valley of flowers. The peak of love is silence, contentment, a state of complete fulfillment and deep meditation.


"Love is the strongest force in this universe.Love is the only thing that you can not think about, if you think,it ceases to be love;when thinking stop,love begins. Love is beyond sight,touch,smell,taste and sound. 


About the Book 


 In the book 'Love is not an Emotion', His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has given an completely different perspective on this phenomenon known as - Love. His words have given Love a whole new meaning and depth. Love is not an emotion, not a feeling, not the sudden quickening of the heart on seeing the loved one, not something we fall in and out of, and yet it is all of this and much much more. The book explores Love like never before - right from its origins to its forms to our thirst for it, our response to it, and more”. 

Spirituality & Creativity

As I look out the window on this beautiful winter morning, I see one tree without a single leaf and right next to it is an evergreen on the verge of bursting with small ripe red fruit. What role does the weather have to play? Who chooses which leaves fall?


There are close to 7 billion people on this planet and an equal or greater number of thoughts and ideas born every moment. One can only wonder how the idea chooses the person!


The world has close to 2 billion Internet users but the first computer was born as an idea in the mind of one person. A nuclear bomb has the capacity to affect so many thousands of lives and was created in the mind of one person. When a sub-atomic particle can be the source of so much energy, the mind is much more finer, much more subtle and certainly much more powerful. The skill is in knowing how to tap this infinite source of energy and creativity. Read More

Sri Sri University gets High Power Committee Clearance

February 12, 2012 | By Odisha360 News Bureau

Sri Sri University
Bhubaneswar:The High Power Committee appointed recently by the State government has given clearance to Sri Sri University. After month long perusal of documents the HPC submitted its report dated February 6, 2012 which reached the Government through Director of Higher Education on February 8, 2012 for formal notification. With this HPC report degree programs of any kind can be initiated by Sri Sri University like any other State or Central University.


After enactment of Sri Sri University Act 2009, Government of Odisha recently appointed a High Power Committee (HPC) consisting of Vice Chancellor of OUAT, Director of Higher Education, Registrar as representative of Vice Chancellor of BPUT, Collector of Cuttack as representative of RDC and Director of IIIT. HPC Visited the University site at Bidyadherpur, Naraj on 29.12.2011 and verified all required credentials including infrastructure, academic, financial and regulatory matters.


More over after three years Sri Sri University can even have affiliated colleges. Apart from its non-degree corporate social responsibility programs in collaboration with L&T, from July Sri Sri University is launching three management programs for General Management, Agri-business management and Entrepreneurship management. Simultaneously it is starting Yoga and Naturopathy program from the campus. The Ved Vigyan Mahavidyalaya, now functioning at a rented building in Puri in a small way will also be shifted to the campus.


Sri Sri University has committed for innovative schools like School of Osteopathy, School for Panchayatiraj Governance, School for emerging media studies apart from its known efforts for teaching hospital, school for ayurvedic studies, school for engineering, school for applied science, school for creative arts and school for R&D and innovations.


The University is planning for an incubation centre for first generation entrepreneurs says its Vice Chancellor Kailash Chandra Mishra, who relocated from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute, New Delhi to take this institution building responsibility. Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir Trust (SSRVM) founded by acclaimed spiritual leader of the Art of Living fame is the promoter of the university. SSRVM Trust is successfully running numerous educational institutions all over the world as ART of Living has a presence in 166 countries. The SSRVM educational entities ranges from pre-schools to institutes of higher education like ayurvedic colleges, management schools and agriculture and media studies.

Sri Sri & Modi meet at Ahmedabad

dharma next: Sri Sri & Modi meet at Ahmedabad: Above: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar & Narendra Modi at a meeting in Ahmedabad - 9th February, 2012

Sri Sri lauds Patel power

SIDSAR (Jamnagar): "Kashmir issue would have been different had Sardar Patel been given to handle it,'' Art of Living Founder and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said here on Thursday evening.


"Sardar Patel has contributed a lot to this country that he is second only to Mahatma Gandhi,' he said.


He also lauded the contribution of Patel community to the development of the state.


"Wherever I go, I praise Gujarat and its development. Gujarat is number one state in the country. Despite several problems it faced, it overcome all of them and achieved this feat,'' he said.


The spiritual guru also urged people to leave addiction and adopt spiritual path for development. Read More

‘We women can transform the world’

10 February 2012 BANGALORE —“Smile, don’t stress, see the world through a wider perspective and above all, have compassion. One of the world’s most admired and followed spiritual leaders, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s recipe for a happier world that is more in harmony with each other, is simple and eminently implementable.
A gathering of some 600 women from 55 countries listened in rapt attention as Sri Sri and his sister, Bhanumathi Narasimhan, a much admired meditation teacher who also heads the women and child welfare programmes of the centre, spoke about life, love, harmony, technology and everything in between, at the Art of Living’s world headquarters at Bangalore, India, last week.


It was an extraordinary event in itself — how often can you expect to see leaders from Iraq, Iran, Palestine and a clutch of African and Middle Eastern countries share the same dais for an exchange of ideas? And yet, there they were, dressed in their traditional best, putting their best foot forward, mingling with each other, laughing, back-slapping and sharing their stories, as only women can do. The occasion was a seemingly rather serious event— an international conference on Women and Technology — but the women rendered it an infinitely joyous event with a human face, discussing the way technology touched their lives, sometimes for the better and sometimes, sadly, for the worse.


“As creators and users of technology, women have been greatly empowered. However, we should not forget the mind that created this technology. We are used to charging our phones, laptops etc. What can we do to recharge ourselves? For a human mind to be more effective, it needs to be charged through meditation. A technologically sound woman has a mind that is not lost to machines, but uses them effectively on her path towards her goal. A spiritually sound woman has a say over her mind in all matters ….,” Bhanumathi Didi , as she is affectionately called by her followers said. Read More

Team Anna singer to fine tune the mood of young voters

ALLAHABAD: His song "Lokpal, Lokpal pass karo Jan Lokpal" sent the mood rolling during the Anna Hazare movement at the Ramlila grounds in New Delhi last year and drew scores of people to join the chorus of the anti-coruption movement. But this time, Delhi-based singer Nitin Dawar, who became a singing icon overnight, would be performing in the city for a different cause -- to exhort and persuade voters, particularly youth, to exercise their franchise and become a part of the nation building process.


The concert titled 'Sumeru Sandhya', being organised in the city on Februray 12, under the aegis of Art of Living foundation would focus on bringing the youth into the fold of mainstream of Indian democracy, by making them realise the importance of voting.  Read More

Leander Paes on how to become a slam champ at 38

What does it takes to win a Grand Slam at 38? For one, it takes a very healthy lifestyle that obviously comprises no alcohol and cigarettes. Then, it takes some very tedious fitness training to keep both, mind and body fit at all times. It's all about keeping the mind and body subtle with yoga and stretching. 


Playing any team sport keeps the mind and body ticking. I also keep practising my Ujay breath - it's a form of breathing exercise from the Art of Living that I learnt at the age of 12. It helps reach maximum oxygen to my muscles and brain, helping them function better and that contributes to overall longevity too. Read More

'Use social media, get more power

BANGALORE, INDIA: Egypt's first woman Presidential candidate. A pioneer in Indian television programming. Anna Hazare's media strategist. A gorgeous film-maker from Jordan.


What could be in common among them?


Apart from the fact that they are of the fairer sex, they have faced several hardships – personal and professional – had determined to break the glass ceiling and are striving to pass on their knowledge to fellow women.


And it is just the tip of the intriguing iceberg.


Bothaina Kamel used to be a television anchor, later turning into a human rights activist, before filing nomination for Presidential candidacy in the erstwhile strife-ridden Egypt.


At the International Women's Conference here on Saturday, she was on the panel discussing Women & Technology – Women & the Social Media, in particular. She narrated how a journalist friend of her was detained by the Hosni Mubarak government in 2008 and how social media came to her friend's rescue.

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Educate girls for a better worldSlug: Women's Meet

BANGALORE: She rose against dictatorship and climbed the ladder of democracy to live in a free world. Shireen Ibrahim Fattah, representative of the Kurdish government, Iraq, believes a free world makes for a conducive learning environment, especially for women. She enlists the pros of a democratic world during her recent visit to the Art of Living campus in Bangalore to address delegates at the Women and Technology meet. Excerpts from an interview:


What does it mean to be free from a dictatorial regime?


I have to tell my story to answer this question. My father was in prison for eight years because of the dictatorial regime, as a result of which my entire family suffered. I have seven brothers; they supported me for my education and that is how I am what I am today. To be free is very important so that everybody can get education. Read More

Give equal rights to women: Sri Sri

Bangalore: Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art Of Living Ashram looked like a conglomerate of foreign embassies on Friday as representatives from over 55 countries had assembled there to exchange their ideas and experience in various fields at the International Women's Conference.
The discussion eventually boiled down to spiritual approach to the subject since the conference was held at the Ashram.
Sri Sri Ravishankar who inaugurated the session along with other dignitaries laid stress on the conventional approach which the society has towards women  Read More

Spirituality is the inner technology: Sri Sri

"Trade, Tradition, Truth and Technology need revival and updating," said The Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the 5th International Women's Conference hosted at the Art of Living International Center.


Titled 'Women and Technology', this three-day conference seeks to understand the role of spirituality in a technologically-driven world. "Spirituality can be called the inner technology. It does not negate technology but it complements it," shared Sri Sri with a 500-strong audience from 55 countries.


The three-day conference is an extension of The Art of Living's women empowerment projects and is a platform for women to come together and create a stronger social transformation. Read More

5th global women’s meet takes off at AoL | Deccan Chronicle

Women dignitaries from around the world came together on Friday for the fifth International Women’s Conference held at the Art of Living International Centre in the City. The three-day conference focuses on the impact of technology on women and society and the connection (if any) between spirituality and technology. The inaugural programme was presided over by Sri Sri Ravishankar. “It is wise to keep quiet when women are in power,” he joked as he began. “Technology is meant to connect people. But it causes more problems than anything else. There are many health hazards, people spend their lives before a computer without proper sleep, exercise, nutrition or meditation. There's no getting away from it either, we need to find a balance,” the Art of Living founder said.

Read More

5th global women’s meet takes off at AoL | Deccan Chronicle

Women from around the world to assess role of technology

Bangalore : Women leaders from India and over 50 other countries are gathering here Friday to discuss role of technology in empowering women, particularly in developing nations.


The three-day conference titled "Women and Technology" is being organised by the Art of Living (AoL) International Centre, founded by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.


This is the fifth International Women's Conference (IWC) hosted by AoL. Parliamentarians, film makers, corporate executives and social activists from India, Argentina, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Ireland, Bulgaria, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bangladesh, Singapore and Japan will attend the conference, a statement from the AoL said Thursday. Read More