Prem Rawat, known also by the honorary title Maharaji, has traveled the world for four decades, inspiring people to find peace within.

His message is simple and profound. It is independent of and compatible with any philosophy, religion, or spiritual path. At the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, he said, “Peace needs to be in everyone’s life. The peace we are looking for is within. It is in the heart, waiting to be felt. It is not the world that needs peace; it is people. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace.” 

The Foundation, which he founded, provides nutritious food and clean water to people most in need and holds free medical clinics. TPRF has distributed millions of free meals and operates a permanent food-aid program in a tribal area in northeastern India, where more than 100,000 free hot meals are distributed each year.

The dissemination of his message of peace is made available in more than 90 countries and 70 languages. TPRF’s humanitarian activities are entirely supported by voluntary contributions and the sale of related materials. As a private investor, he supports himself and his family through independent means.

Born in India, he started addressing audiences at the age of three. At eight, he began presenting his message of peace throughout India. At thirteen, he was invited to speak in London and Los Angeles. More than ten million people in 50 countries around the world have come to hear his message of hope and peace.

Prem Rawat has received widespread recognition for more than three decades. Proclamations and resolutions that honor his work, keys to cities, letters of appreciation, and invitations from government officials are among the many ways he has been welcomed.

In 2006, a special event was held at the United Nations in New York in honor of the support provided by The Prem Rawat Foundation to the United Nations Development Programme’s Water Development Initiative. The event was attended by 850 distinguished representatives of the United Nations and local New York government, civic, and business leaders.

Partial list of honors received:

Resolutions, proclamations
Governors of Michigan and New Mexico. General Assembly of the State of Connecticut; Court of Common Council, Hartford, Connecticut; Pennsylvania House of Representatives; Rhode Island General Assembly; Wisconsin Legislature. Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Buffalo, New York; Boulder, Colorado; Miami, Florida; San Francisco, California. House Majority Leader, Portland, Maine.

Keys to cities
New York City, New York; New Orleans, Louisiana; Oakland, California; Kyoto, Japan; Detroit, Michigan; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida.
“Illustrious Citizen,” Quito, Ecuador.

Letters of appreciation and honors
City of Atlanta, Georgia; United States Library of Congress; National Geographic Society; Vermont Historical Society; “Ambassador for Peace,” International University of Peace, Brazil.

Special honors given by government officials
Los Angeles, California; Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado.

Award for Best Television Program
2004 and 2006: Brazilian Association of Community Television Channels for Words of Peace, a weekly series featuring excerpts from Prem Rawat's message of peace.

Watch short excerpts from interviews of Prem Rawat by TV journalists Marta Robles and Burt Wolf