Welcome Address

India is turning over back from its colossal matter-based mindset to consciousness-based paradigm. The seer in Swami Vivekananda had foreseen the emergence of Ma Bharati to raise to pinnacles of her ancient glory, this time embellished by scientific research and technological grandeur. Today, on one side we have stalwarts of business and IT in Mukhesh Ambani, Narayana Murthy of INFOSIS, Premji of WIPRO who have raised India to the status of the 4th economic power in the world. On the other side Sri Sri Ravishankar, Swami Ramdev, Swami Nityananda, Dr Pranav Pandya and a host of Sannyasis, Sadhus and Kirtanakaras attracting millions towards Yoga and Spiritual lore transforming the lives of urban rich, if not the village poor. The holy order of monks in Ramakrishna Math & Mission and their woman counterpart in Sharada Mission as also the lay order of committed Jivan Vratis and Sevavratis in Vivekananda Kendra are carrying the torch of the message of Seva to the rural areas and tribal belts.

The Yoga movement of VYASA has spread its wings through its vast research papers published in national and international main stream journals and carved a niche among thousands of yoga centers all over the globe. After the recognition of SVYASA as a Deemed University by UGC in 2002 and full-scale University in 2007, it has become the most unique and premier yoga institution in the country. With its spread in 26 countries, nearly 2000 VYASA teachers and therapists are bringing solace to the ailing sick in every nook and corner of Japan and Singapore. To its size, USA needs lot more teachers than just 1500 teachers of VYASA. So also the hundreds in London are no match to their need in UK and Europe. But the collaborations with top-ranking universities as John Hopkins, Harvard, UCSF, UCLA, MDACC of University of Houston, etc. fighting to collaborate with us for NIH grants in NICAM is the sure indication of the research accomplishments of VYASA at global level. With nearly 500 students in the University: 50 PhDs, 100 MSc and MDs our research work is growing fast. Compare the quantum - 50 papers from 1986 -2006 with nearly 50 in 2006-2008. We have now crossed the century mark. We are exploring not only the well-trodden research areas of Health benefits of yoga, physiological, neuro-physiological neuro-psychological and psychological benefits of yoga practices as asanas, pranayama and meditation but also tracking the mystic dimensions of Agnihotra, Pyramids on one hand and telepathy & psycho-kinesis on the other hand. It looks that we now are nearing our goal to catch our pranamaya and manomaya kosas - as modern computer technology has grown to track the brain with neuro-imaging instruments. The objective of these explorations into panca kosa is not merely to have the satisfaction of unraveling what was talked about in our ancient texts of Vedas including Upanisads but to bring their significance and usefulness in treatment of the most dreaded among the modern diseases as Cancer.

As India is fast growing in all fronts bringing out the Daivi Sampat it is also racing towards becoming the Diabetic capital of the world. Can we arrest this Asura in the country devastating the health of our brothers and sisters ? Or just allow that to happen as a natural remedy to population explosion as floods and infections do in our country? VYASA movement has a new approach. We understand that difficulties are opportunities and stepping-stones for growth. As one of our diabetic patients remarked in our arogyadhama' I thank my diabetes as a boon for me. Why? As it helped me to come here and led me to the understanding and appreciation of the tremendous wisdom of yoga and spiritual lore". Hence we launch this program to use Diabetes as a tool to enlarge the vision of people from Artha and Kama towards Dharma and Moksa - towards spiritual growth. With our recent research on yoga and diabetes and those of others in the world, as also the long experience of 25 years in using yoga therapy for Diabetes we have enough evidence base in Yoga to deal this modern endemics. So we march ahead to launch a nation-wide "Stop Diabetes" project. Atleast 5000 patients to practise the Integrated Yoga Module in every capital of our country and to keep track of their records for 5 to 10 years. We have submitted a proposal to Gujarat and Bihar Govts. And we will seek assistance from other Govts. as well.

Yet an other experiment is going on in our country in tune with our ideals with fine set of innovative and creative accomplishments in the fields of economics, technology, spirituality and yoga. That is in the field of politics. The pioneer is our beloved Narendra Modiji. Swamiji emphasized the role of spirituality in politics. We have witnessed the nations experimenting on autocracy-based governance of kings and queens of the Royal empire, the raising of socialistic pattern as a reaction to the tyranny of the masses in the hands of Hitlers and Napoleans, the democratic exuberance emerged with watchwords of freedom, human rights and economic growth as the key objectives for governance again as a reaction to the "curbing of human freedom and rights in the communistic realms". It has no doubt engulfed most parts of the globe with the biggest democracy in India where we have seen the mockery of democracy! Vedantic - spirituality-based governance with its key objectives of Dharma-Artha-Kama-Moksa and its laws in Sama-Dama-Danda-Bhedha were demonstrated as the right approach to create ideal social orders in any society.

We are looking forward to hear from the pioneer in this field of governance; even in this testing times of democracy how Narendra Modiji is bringing those dimensions of spirituality and leadership.

Should we say welcome- we are grateful to his time spared for us.

I welcome all dignitaries on and off the dias who have gathered to felicitate the divinity in Ma Lakshmi Amma and to honour Bharat Ratna Subbulakshmi in Smt Radha Vishwanathan.
We look forward to Narendra Modiji to launch this nationwide project of VYASA movement on 'Stop Diabetes' and to hear his pioneering speech on Spirituality and Leadership.

Dr H R Nagendra