Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru on Sunday to join Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in celebrating 45 years of the Art of Living movement — a milestone that coincided with the spiritual leader’s 70th birthday.
The centerpiece of the day’s events was the inauguration of the Dhyan Mandir, a dedicated high-vibration meditation space designed to serve as a sanctuary for practitioners across cultures and backgrounds. The structure, representing one of the world’s largest meditation communities, will open its doors to hundreds of thousands of seekers seeking collective stillness through meditation and chanting.
“I am confident that the Dhyan Mandir inaugurated today will become a center of peace and solace for thousands of people across generations,” Modi said in his keynote address.
The Prime Minister paid warm tribute to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, describing him as “a living embodiment of India’s timeless tradition of giving — giving knowledge, giving peace, giving hope.” In a candid and personal aside that drew loud applause from the crowd, Modi told the spiritual leader, “I am yours, and I am where I am because of you.”
Addressing the link between spirituality and national development, the Prime Minister said a stronger India would be built by youth who are “mentally calm, socially responsible and sensitive towards society.” He credited organizations like the Art of Living with reinforcing a collective sense of belonging and cultural identity. “Our digital revolution has made India a global leader in digital payments. India is now the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. Our youth are sending satellites into space,” he said. “Art of Living is helping the youth to overcome the challenges of the modern era.”
PM Modi also underscored his belief in the power of civil society over government alone. “I am confident that society is more powerful than politics and governments,” he said. “Any government can be successful only when society is actively participating in the creation of the nation.”
Welcoming the Prime Minister, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reflected on India’s transformation over the past decade. “Today, Mother India and the people of India walk with pride because you have taken India to a new level,” he said. He pointed to the shift in India’s global standing, noting that the country had moved from one that once looked to others for support to one that now extends support outward. “In less than ten years, you transformed India from a country that asked, into a country that gives,” Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said.
The occasion also served as a platform for the launch of nine nationwide service initiatives spanning education, youth and women’s empowerment, reforestation, tribal welfare, healthcare, prison reform and digital literacy. Under the Mission Green Earth program, the organization has already planted over 9 million saplings across 19 states and now aims to add 4.5 million moringa saplings alongside thousands of sacred trees as part of its climate and biodiversity push.
Other initiatives include the expansion of 12 smart village centers across 11 states, leadership training for 50,000 youth and women, a 450-village tribal welfare mission, and the launch of nine telemedicine centers to improve healthcare access in underserved areas. The organization’s prison reform work will extend across 550 facilities, benefiting nearly 60,000 inmates and staff. Its free school network, currently serving over 120,000 children in 2,754 villages, is set to grow from 1,356 to 2,000 schools.
The month-long anniversary celebrations have drawn more than 100,000 participants from 182 countries, including Union Ministers, state Governors, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, farmers, rehabilitated prison inmates and international delegates.
Over four and a half decades, the Art of Living has grown into one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven humanitarian movements, reaching more than a billion people across 182 countries through programs in breathwork, meditation, education and grassroots service.