Chandrababu joins global celebrations marking Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji’s 70th birthday and Art of Living’s 45 Years

Sans Spirituality, society cannot achieve Holistic progress: CM
CM calls for balance between technology, spirituality and human values
Shares vision for Swarna Andhra @ 2047 rooted in Spirituality, Wellness and Holistic development

Bengaluru: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated that without spirituality, society cannot achieve holistic progress. He said economic growth, technology and infrastructure are important, but lasting development must also strengthen human values, emotional wellbeing and inner peace.
Participating in the celebrations of 45th anniversary of the Art of Living and 70th birthday of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji at the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru today, the Chief Minister described Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji as “a global humanitarian, messenger of peace and a living bridge between the timeless wisdom of Bharat and a modern world searching for harmony. He stated that very few spiritual leaders in modern history have earned the trust and goodwill of both ordinary people and global institutions the way Gurudev has.
He noted that Gurudev had made ancient Indian wisdom relevant in the modern world and had successfully carried India’s spiritual heritage across continents.

Earlier the Chief Minister was accorded a traditional welcome at the ashram and later toured key institutions within the campus including the Gurukul Heritage School, Gaushala, Panchakarma and Ayurveda facilities. He also attended the global Satsang event, which was telecast live to more than 110 countries.

The Chief Minister said that in a rapidly changing world shaped by technology and Artificial Intelligence, spirituality is no longer a luxury but a necessity. “The world has more information than ever before, but less peace. More connectivity, but less human connection,” he said. He added that while technology can improve lives, only spirituality can create balance, inner peace and emotional wellbeing.

Speaking about Andhra Pradesh’s development vision, Chandrababu Naidu said the state is simultaneously building world class infrastructure, strengthening technology ecosystems and promoting spirituality, wellness and happiness. “I do not want Andhra Pradesh to become only an IT destination. I want Andhra Pradesh to become a destination for peace, spirituality, wellness and happiness also,” he said.

The Chief Minister shared his vision for Swarna Andhra @ 2047 as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision and called upon citizens to respond to the Prime Minister’s call of “My Nation, My Responsibility.”

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s spiritual heritage, Shri Chandrababu Naidu said, “The living God of Kaliyuga is in Tirupati,” while reflecting on the state’s deep spiritual and civilizational legacy. He also highlighted the State Government’s efforts to strengthen spiritual tourism, yoga, Ayurveda and wellness ecosystems across Andhra Pradesh.

Recalling his long association with Gurudev, Chandrababu Naidu said his association with Guruji goes back nearly three decades. He recalled that around 30 years ago, ministers, MPs, MLAs and senior officers had participated in Art of Living programmes and spiritual training sessions guided by Gurudev. The Chief Minister noted that these sessions delivered very positive results by helping participants improve emotional balance, stress management, clarity in decision making and value based leadership in governance.

He also praised the humanitarian work carried out by the Art of Living across the world in areas such as rural development, education, women empowerment, river rejuvenation and social wellbeing. Highlighting the global impact of the organisation, the Chief Minister noted that the Art of Living movement has touched more than 100 crore lives across 182 countries through over 10,000 centres and 38,000 teachers worldwide.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar praised Chief Minister for balancing development with spirituality and recalled his transformative governance initiatives that helped place Hyderabad prominently on the global map, particularly through technology and youth empowerment. Citing the Telugu diaspora and its immense contributions to technology, Gurudev said,”you’ll find a mini Andhra Pradesh there”, crediting Chief Minister for the IT revolution driven by Telugu youth. Gurudev congratulated the Chief Minister for successfully blending traditional knowledge with modernity and remarked that he had “made the Telugu community global.”

Several dignitaries including Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union Minister of State Raja Vikramaditya Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma, Karnataka Cabinet Minister Mankal S. Vaidya and Maharashtra Minister Bharat Gogawale, among others participated.

The event concluded with a meditation session led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji, in which the Chief Minister also participated.