Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bengaluru on May 10 to attend the 45th anniversary celebration of the Art of Living Foundation. During the event, he will inaugurate the newly built Dhyan Mandir, a meditation centre at the organisation’s international campus on Kanakapura Road.
The programme is expected to be attended by spiritual leaders, devotees, volunteers, guests from different countries, and several public representatives. The event will also celebrate the 70th birthday of Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Organisers said the new Dhyan Mandir will be used for meditation, yoga, spiritual programmes, and wellness activities. It has been built to promote mental peace and mindfulness among people of all ages. Founded in 1981, the Art of Living Foundation is now active in more than 180 countries. The organisation conducts programmes on meditation, stress relief, and social service. Over the years, it has built a large network of volunteers working in areas like education, healthcare awareness, environmental protection, and rural development.
Foundation officials said the anniversary celebrations will also begin several social welfare initiatives focused on mental health awareness, sustainable living, youth empowerment, and village development. Many campaigns and public programmes will be held throughout the year as part of the celebrations. Speaking about the occasion, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said the organisation has always worked to spread peace, harmony, and human values.
The Art of Living Foundation is well known for promoting Sudarshan Kriya, a breathing and meditation technique developed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar many years ago. Over time, the organisation has also worked in areas like education, prison rehabilitation, river cleaning, women empowerment, and youth development. According to the foundation, it runs more than 1,300 free schools in rural and tribal areas and has organised rehabilitation programmes for prisoners and violence-affected communities in different countries.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the organisation will also hold a global meditation programme for world peace on May 13, which will be streamed live internationally. Several other events, including leadership meetings, cultural programmes, discussions, and award ceremonies for social workers, are also planned in the coming months.
Over the last four decades, the Art of Living has expanded its activities worldwide and organised major cultural and peace events in cities such as Berlin, Washington DC, New Delhi, and Bengaluru.
