Honoured to receive Padma Bhushan: Spiritual leader and founder of 'Heartfulness' Daaji

Spiritual leader and founder of 'Heartfulness' Kamlesh Patel, who has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan on Thursday, said the award is not his personal achievement but an acknowledgement of the thousands of Heartfulness and Ram Chandra Mission's volunteers and millions of practitioners worldwide. 

A renowned meditation guide, fondly called Daaji' - the founder of Heartfulness and the president of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Kamlesh Patel is being honoured for his distinguished service of high order in spirituality and is one of the two to receive the award from the State of Telangana, the other being spiritual leader Swami Chinna Jeeyar.

On being awarded with the Padma Bhushan, Daaji said, I am honoured to receive Padma Bhushan from the government of India.

This is not a personal achievement, but an acknowledgement of the thousands of Heartfulness and Sri Ram Chandra Mission's volunteers and millions of practitioners worldwide who made it their life's purpose to tirelessly serve society, seeking nothing in return. I am grateful to everyone who shares the vision of peace and selfless service, Daaji' said in a release. 

A trained pharmacist, he turned to meditation and spirituality at a young age and now through the Heartfulness movement, he has enabled free access to meditation in over 160 countries and has developed value-based development programmes for students and faculty in over 5,000 schools, universities, and educational institutions, the release said.

From stress management to self-realisation, his wisdom, workshops and personal and group contact programmes have helped people attain a practical, easy-to-follow lifestyle to streamline their health and well-being. Having authored best-sellers including The Heartfulness Way, Designing Destiny and the Wisdom Bridge, he continues to serve as a spiritual catalyst to a global community that celebrate the Indian way of life, the release said.

He heads the non-profit organisation Shri Ram Chandra Mission and has established Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad, as the global headquarters and spiritual ground for practitioners of Heartfulness, the release added.