Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a world-renowned humanitarian, spiritual leader and an ambassador of peace and human values. Through his life and work, he has inspired millions around the world with a vision of a stress-free, violence-free world. He has designed various programs that provide practical techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life and has also established nonprofit organizations that recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality, and religion.

In 1981 Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded The Art of Living as an international, non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization. Its educational and self-development programs offer powerful tools to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being. Appealing not only to a specific population, these practices have proven effective globally and at all levels of society.

Around fifteen years later, in 1997, he also founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) to coordinate sustainable development projects, nurture human values and coordinate conflict resolution in association with The Art of Living. In India, Africa and South America, the two sister organizations’ volunteers are spearheading sustainable growth in rural communities, and have already reached out to 40,212 villages.

Born in 1956 in Southern India, Sri Sri was a gifted child. By the age of four, he was able to recite the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit scripture, and was often found in meditation. He holds degrees in, both, Vedic literature and Physics.

In 1982, Sri Sri entered a ten-day period of silence in Shimoga located in the Indian state of Karnataka. The Sudarshan Kriya® was born, a powerful breathing technique that facilitates physical, mental, emotional and social well‐being. It incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath, harmonizing the body, mind and emotions. With time, the Sudarshan Kriya became the center-piece of the Art of Living courses and one of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s unique contributions to the process of self-development. For more information and details, please visit www.srisriravishankar.org.