Munish Sood
Mandi
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today shared details of his meeting with renowned spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during his visit to Karnataka, describing the interaction as a spiritually enriching and memorable experience.
In a post shared on social media, the Chief Minister said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appreciated the Himachal Pradesh Government’s initiatives in the fields of natural farming, cow protection and cattle welfare. Sukhu also assured that the state government would extend all possible support to the ashram functioning in Himachal Pradesh.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes close to the 45th anniversary celebrations of The Art of Living Foundation at its International Centre in Bengaluru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently attended the celebrations and inaugurated the newly-constructed Dhyan Mandir at the ashram campus.
According to the Chief Minister’s statement, he also participated in ‘gau seva’ at the ashram and said the experience filled him with “inner peace, positive energy and spiritual consciousness.” He added that interacting with people from Himachal Pradesh working at the ashram created a strong sense of belonging and emotional connection.
“The experience, enriched with service, spirituality and Indian cultural values, will always remain memorable,” Sukhu stated in his post.
Sources indicated that discussions during the meeting also touched upon environmental sustainability and the promotion of natural farming practices, an area where the Himachal Pradesh Government has been attempting to position the hill state as a model for eco-friendly agriculture. The state government has in recent years laid emphasis on chemical-free farming, indigenous cattle conservation and sustainable rural livelihoods.
Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living Foundation has emerged as one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven spiritual and humanitarian organisations, working in areas such as meditation, education, rural development, stress management and social outreach across several countries.
