Ravi Shankar

                         Profile

Born         :-  13 May 1956 (age 56), Papanasam, Tamil Nadu
Philosophy   :- Advaita Vedanta
Literary     :- Celebrating Silence, An Intimate 
works        :-   Guide to Sincere Seeker, God Loves Fun
Quotation       :-   My Vision is a violence free, stress free world.
Father             :-  R. S. Venkat Ratnam
Mother           :-   Smt. Visalakshi Ratnam


Introduction
Ravi shankar in front of 'Art of living center'
Ravi Shankar is also frequently referred to simply as "Sri Sri" (honorific) or as Guruji or Gurudev. He is a spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems and violence. In 1997 he established a Geneva-based charity, the International Association for Human Values, an NGO that engages in relief work and rural development and aims to foster shared global values. In 2009 Shankar was named by Forbes Magazine as the 5th most powerful leader in India. He was involved in the movement demanding a stronglokpal bill.

 Life Begin

Ravi Shankar was born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu to Smt. Visalakshi Ratnam and R. S. Venkat Ratnam, who was then active in the automobile business. He was named "Ravi" (a common Indian name meaning "sun") because his birth was on a Sunday and "Shankar" after the 8th century Hindu saint Adi Shankara. He holds a graduate degree in Bachelor of Science from Bangalore University. (St. Joseph's College
After graduation, Shankar traveled with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and was invited by Maharishi to give talks on Vedic science, arrange conferences on the Vedas and science, and set up Ayurveda centers. He was with the Maharishi at the inauguration of the first of the Golden Domes at Maharishi International University. The 1980s saw Shankar initiate a series of practical and experiential courses in spirituality around the globe. Shankar says that his rhythmic breathing exercise sudarśana-kriyā (Sanskrit: सुदर्शन क्रिया) came to him in 1982 "like a poem, an inspiration", after a ten-day period of silence on the banks of the Bhadra River in Shimoga, state of Karnataka, adding, "I learned it and started teaching it".
Shankar says that every emotion has a corresponding rhythm in the breath and regulating breath could help relieve personal suffering. After realizing Sudarshan Kriya, Shankar started sharing it with others through the Art of Living course, first held in Shimoga, Karnataka.
Shankar inspired his father and several other prominent citizens of Bangalore to found Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth, an educational and charitable trust, in 1981. Under the auspices of this trust, he opened a school south of Bangalore for local rural children. The school now provides free education for 2,000 such children.
In 1983 Shankar held the first Art of Living course in Europe in Switzerland. In 1986 he travelled to Apple Valley, California in the USA to conduct the first course to be held in North America.

Spirituality

Shankar teaches that spirituality is that which enhances human values such as love, compassion and enthusiasm. It is not limited to any one religion or culture. Hence it is open to all people. He feels the spiritual bond we share as part of the human family is more prominent than nationality, gender, religion, profession, or other identities that separate us.
Art of Living International Center in Bangaluru
In Shankar's view "Violence free society, disease free body, quiver free breath, confusion free mind, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory and sorrow free soul. is the birth right of every human being."
According to him, science and spirituality are linked and compatible, both springing from the urge to know. The question, "Who am I?" leads to spirituality. The question, "What is this?" leads to science. Emphasizing that joy is only available in the present moment, his stated vision is to create a world free of stress and violence. His programs are said to offer practical tools to help accomplish this. He sees breath as the link between body and mind, and a tool to relax the mind, emphasizing the importance of both meditation/spiritual practice and service to others. In his view, "Truth is spherical rather than linear; so it has to be contradictory.

Sudarshan Kriya

Sudarshan Kriya is a "breathing-based technique" that is a core component of the Art of Living courses and "the cornerstone of ... Art of Living Foundation's trauma relief programs". It involves "Ujjayi breathing" and "Bhastrika" in "Vajrasana" followed by rhythmic breathing in "Sukhasana". The shorter version takes about 30-45 mins.
A number of medical studies on its preparatory practices have been published in international peer-reviewed journals. A range of mental and physical benefits are reported in these studies, including reduced levels of stress (reduced cortisol—the "stress" hormone), improved immune system, relief from anxiety & depression (mild, moderate & severe), increased antioxidant protection, and enhanced brain function (increased mental focus, calmness and recovery from stressful stimuli), among other findings. Persons enrolling for the courses sign a non-disclosure agreement with an undertaking not to teach the learned techniques (including Sudarshan Kriya) to other people without taking Teacher's Training.
According to Bharti Verma, M.D., in The Way of Grace, by David Lucas Burge and Gary Boucherle, "Sudarshan Kriya is not hyperventilation. The process is unlike hyperventilation and seems much more complex in its nature. A person hyperventilating will often experience lightheadedness, blurred vision, muscle spasms of hands and feet, a general feeling of being unwell, fainting and loss of consciousness. In contrast, course participants learning Sudarshan Kriya report a state of deep relaxation while feeling rejuvenated and re-energized. Clearly the experiences of persons practicing Sudarshan Kriya are exactly the opposite of what a hyperventilating exercise would be expected to produce."

Peace and humanitarian work

In the 1990s, Shankar initiated a number of humanitarian projects, which continue to this date under the auspices of the Art of Living Foundation and its numerous national organizations.
In 1992 he started prison program to rehabilitate prison inmates and help them reintegrate into the mainstream.
1997 saw the beginning of the International Association for Human Values, a humanitarian organization, and its 5H program, which aims to bring sustainable development to rural areas and revive human values.
He visited Pakistan in 2004 and Iraq (at the invitation of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki) in 2007 and met with political and religious leaders to promote global peace.
He is involved in interfaith dialogue and currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute.
His volunteers assisted the 2004 tsunami victims and Hurricane Katrina victims, in Haiti and many other regions of conflict and natural disaster.

Awards
  • Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Priz
  • Highest civilian award 'National Order of Merito de Comuneros, Paraguay, Sept 13, 2012
  • Illustrious citizen by the Paraguayan Municipality, Sept 12, 201
  • Illustrious guest of the city of Asuncion, Paraguay, Sept 12, 2012
  • Tiradentes Medal, the highest honor from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, Sept. 3, 2012
  • The Sivananda World Peace award, Sivananda Foundation, South Africa, Aug. 26, 2012
  • Award for Peace & Harmony by Al-Mustafa University, Iran at Delhi, India, March 11, 2012
  • Vishwa Chetana award, India, Dec. 19, 2011
  • Human of the World Award, (bestowed by the Academy of National Security of Russia), Berlin, July 1, 2011
  • Crans Montana Forum Award, Brussels, June 24, 2011
  • 2010 Atmajyoti Award, Delhi, India, Sept. 23, 2010
  • Culture in Balance Award, World Culture Forum, Dresden Germany, October 10, 2009
  • The Ball of Peace awarded by The Peace Doves, Norway, June 13, 2009
  • Phoenix Award, Atlanta, USA, 2008
  • Honorary Citizenship and Goodwill Ambassador, Houston, USA, 2008
  • Proclamation of Commendation, New Jersey, 2008
  • Architect of World Peace Award, India, 2008
  • "Light of East" National Award, India, 2008
  • Honoured by United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) for his contributions towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, 2007
  • Honoured by the city of Washington DC by proclaiming the week of his visit as ‘Human Values Week’ in March 2007
  • National Veterans Foundation Award, USA, 2007
  • Leadership Award for Extraordinary Promotion of World Peace and Harmony by Amity University, New Delhi, 2007
  • Sant Shri Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize, Pune, India, Jan 11, 2007
  • Honorary Citizenship by City of Baltimore, Canada, 2006
  • Honorary Citizen of the city of Calgary, Canada, 2006
  • Centennial 2006 Medallion by the Legislative Assembly of Calgary, Canada, 2006
  • The 2006 International Peace Award by ‘For the Love of Children Society of Alberta Canada’, 2006
  • The Humanitarian Award by the city of Brampton, Ontario, 2006
  • Order of the Pole Star, Mongolia, 2006
  • Peter the Great First Grade Award, Russia, 2006
  • Mongolian Prime Minister’s Award, Mongolia, 2006
  • Alberta Legislative Centennial 2006 Medallion, 2006
  • Dara Shikoh National Award for Harmony, New Delhi, India, 2005
  • Global Humanitarian Award, Illinois, USA, 2005
  • Mahavir-Mahatma Award India, 2005
  • Bharat Shiromani Award, New Delhi, India, 2005
  • The Illustrious Visitors Award, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2004
  • Phoenix Award, USA, 2002
  • Guru Mahatmya Award by Government of Maharashtra, India, 1997
  • Nominated to the Advisory Board of Yale Divinity School, USA, 1990
  • Title of Yoga Shiromani (Supreme Jewel of Yoga) by the President of India, 1986
  • Doctorate - Universidad Autónoma de Asunción of Paraguay, Buenos Aires University, Argentina; Siglo XXI University Campus, Cordoba, Argentina; Nyenrode University, Netherlands; Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur; Kuvempu University, India

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