SPIRITUAL AND ACADEMIC EDUCATION: Touched by the hand of God at eight years old, Pujya Swamiji's youth was spent in silence, meditation and austerities high in the Himalayas. At the age of seventeen, after nine years of unbroken, intense sadhana, he returned from the forest -- under the orders of his guru -- and he obtained an academic education to parallel his spiritual one. Pujya Swamiji has master's degrees in Sanskrit and Philosophy as well as fluency in many languages.

THE TEACHING OF UNITY: Unity, harmony, and the belief in infinite paths to God are the foundation of Pujya Swamiji's "religion." His goal is to bring everyone closer to God, regardless of what name one uses. "If you are a Hindu, be a better Hindu. If you are a Christian, be a better Christian. If you are a Muslim, be a better Muslim. If you are a Jew, be a better Jew," he says.

In this line, he has been a leader in numerous international, inter-faith conferences and parliaments, including the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1993, the Parliament of World Religions in Capetown, South Africa in 1999, the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations in 2000, the World Economic Forum in New York in 2002, the World Council of Religious Leaders at the United Nations in Bangkok in 2002, the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan in 2006 and the Global Youth Peace Summit at the United Nations in New York in October 2006.

SPIRITUAL LEADER AND INSPIRATION: Pujya Swamiji is the president and spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, one of India's largest and most renowned spiritual institutions. Under his divine inspiration and leadership, Parmarth Niketan has become a sanctuary known across the globe as one filled with grace, beauty, serenity and true divine bliss. Pujya Swamiji has also increased several-fold the humanitarian activities undertaken by Parmarth Niketan. Now, the ashram is not only a spiritual haven for those who visit, but it also provides education, training, health care etc. to those in need.

Pujya Swamiji travels the world, speaking to audiences large and small, formal and informal, spreading inspiration, upliftment and divine messages to people of all cultures, all walks of life and all ages.

He is also the founder and the spiritual head of the first Hindu Jain Temple in America. This beautiful 3-domed, masterpiece is located on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has paved the way for unity between Hindus and Jains across America. Pujya Swamiji is also the founder and inspiration behind many other temples in USA, Canada, Europe and Australia

GUIDE TO YOUTH: Pujya Swamiji knows the youth are our future; he is forever changing the course of that future through his profound effect on every youngster with whom he comes in contact. Children and adolescents seem to bloom like flowers under the rays of his light. Additionally, he gives pragmatic tools to help them unite in the spirit of peace, harmony and global change. Pujya Swamiji runs youth sessions and camps in USA, Europe and throughout Asia.

CEASELESS SERVICE: "Giving is Living," is Pujya Swamiji's motto; he is always in the midst of dozens of projects, each one a noble and tenaciously dedicated effort to make the world a better place for all of humanity. He is the Founder/Chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation (IHRF), an international, non-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to providing education, health care, youth welfare, vocational training to the needy population. Schools, hospitals, an ambulance and an orphanage/gurukul are only a few of IHRF's innumerable projects.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS: Pujya Swamiji has received dozens of awards for both his role as spiritual leader and also for his unparalleled humanitarian work. Some of the more noteworthy are as follows:
1) Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian award, given by the Mayor of New Jersey, USA for outstanding charitable and interfaith work,
2) Hindu of the Year by the international magazine Hinduism Today
3) Devarishi Award, by Sandipani Vidya Niketan, under the guidance of Pujya Sant Rameshbhai Oza for promoting Indian culture and heritage across the world
4) Bhaskar Award, by Mystic India and Bharat Nirman for Outstanding Humanitarian Service
5) Prominent Personality Award, by Lions' Club
6) Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Charitable Trust Award for Progress in Religion
7) Best Citizens of India Award
8) National Integration Award,

Further, he has been given the title of Patron of the Russian Indian Heritage Research Foundation, Moscow, and he is also a Patron of the Centre for Religious Experience in Oxford, UK, the International Naturopathy Organisation, and the Bapu Nature Cure Hospital in Delhi.

He is also on the Advisory Board for Guru Dakshina Samiti, a Samiti aimed at educational programmes for empowerment of women and disabled youth.

More info at
http://www.parmarth.com/