[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING GURUDEV SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2025

  Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gurudev 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a globally revered spiritual and humanitarian 
leader who has spearheaded an unprecedented worldwide movement for a 
stress-free, violence-free society. Through his organizations, 
including the Art of Living and the International Association for Human 
Values, Gurudev Shankar has impacted an estimated 800 million people 
across 180 countries. His programs have empowered individuals to tackle 
challenges at the global, national, community, and individual levels.
  Gurudev Shankar was born in 1956 in Southern India, where he 
demonstrated his spiritual and intellectual gifts at an early age. By 
the age of four, Gurudev Shankar was reciting the Bhagavad Gita and 
meditating. In 1982, during a ten-day period of silence, Gurudev 
Shankar developed Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful breathing technique that 
became central to the Art of Living courses, offering stress relief and 
well-being to millions.
  Gurudev Shankar founded The Art of Living as an international non-
profit organization dedicated to fostering peace and human values. He 
also established the International Association for Human Values to 
support sustainable development and conflict resolution worldwide. His 
programs have made significant impacts in conflict zones such as 
Kashmir, Colombia, and Iraq, and have provided trauma relief for war 
veterans and communities affected by violence.
  In addition to his global peace efforts, Gurudev Shankar is committed 
to education and environmental conservation. His initiatives have led 
to the creation of over 1,300 schools providing free education to 
underserved children in India, and his organization has planted over 
100 million trees across the globe. Furthermore, The Art of Living's 
prison program has reached over 800,000 prisoners, helping to 
rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 
as he visits Western New York to lead ''The Journey Within,'' an 
evening of meditation and wisdom offering a unique opportunity for 
attendees to experience his transformative teachings firsthand. His 
lifelong commitment to peace, education, and humanitarian work 
continues to inspire millions worldwide, and we are all the better for 
it.