India’s Vice President and 25,000 Youth Welcome Prem Rawat

New Delhi, August 1, 2006 — Nearly 25,000 young people under 25 filled the Indira Gandhi indoor stadium in New Delhi to capacity at the occasion of an event held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Prem Rawat, known widely as Maharaji, bringing his message of peace. This event was followed by four other events held on July 30 and 31 in the same stadium, where people of all ages also gathered to celebrate.

The vice president of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said, “I am amazed at the magnitude of this event and at how many people are deeply moved by Prem Rawat’s call to peace. I’m convinced that the people of India and our brothers from other countries need to embrace in their hearts Prem Rawat’s call to peace. For the last 40 years, as a messenger of peace, Prem Rawat has been making a constant effort to teach a lesson of peace to people. I would like to express my heartfelt feeling towards him, as a most trusted and respected person who takes a message of joy to society, and society puts it into practice. Doing so is the greatest success there can be in life. I want his message to reach the people around the world.”

On the first day, the attendees were welcomed by Naveel Jindal, a member of Parliament, where he represents the Indian National Congress; he is also the executive chairman of Jindal Power and Steel Ltd., a $4 billion, privately held Indian corporation. He said: “It is with great joy in my heart that I see so many young men and women gathered here to listen to Prem Rawat’s message of peace and to the profound subjects that he addresses, including fulfillment and true freedom. Forty years ago today, Prem Rawat began spreading his message of peace to people around the world. Since then he has traveled around the world and made an impact on hundreds of thousands of people’s lives through his simple and profound message.”

Shatrughan Sinha, India’s most successful actor politician, also addressed the attendees: “It is a source of great joy for me to be here on the anniversary of Prem Rawat’s relentless effort to take this message around the world to people. I find myself speechless as I witness the appreciation that people have towards Prem Rawat. I hope that people will benefit from listening to and seeing him and from feeling joy, peace and happiness in their life.” Shatrughan Sinha was one of the top Indian film stars when he decided to enter politics to help his fellow human beings. He was the first member of the film community to become a cabinet minister.