In 1981, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded The Art of Living on a simple but ambitious belief: that a stress-free and violence-free society is possible.
Forty-five years later, that idea has evolved into one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven humanitarian movements, active across 182 countries and touching the lives of more than one billion people through programs focused on mental well-being, education, meditation, humanitarian service, and social development.
This week in Bengaluru, that global journey reached another milestone as The Art of Living International Centre hosted a month-long international gathering marking the 45th anniversary of the organisation and the 70th birthday of its founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The celebrations brought together an influential assembly of heads of state, diplomats, policymakers, educators, Nobel-affiliated institutions, spiritual leaders, and entrepreneurs, alongside civil society representatives and grassroots beneficiaries from around the world.
The global significance of the Bengaluru gathering was underscored by the participation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who joined Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during the celebrations to inaugurate the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir.
