H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21, 1923, to a Christian family in Chindwara, India. Her parents seeing the beauty of the child called her “Nirmala”, which means ‘Immaculate’. Later on, she came to be known to the multitudes by the name of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi – the Revered Mother. Her father Shri Prasad Rao Salve was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and helped write India’s first constitution. During 1942 “Quit India Movement”, announced by Gandhiji, She played a daring role as a youth leader and was even arrested and put in jail along with other freedom fighters. She studied medicine and psychology at the Christian Medical College in Lahore. Shortly before India achieved independence, She married Sir C.P. Srivastava, one of India’s most dedicated civil servants, who was knighted by the Queen of England. Shri Mataji left for Her heavenly abode on 23rd February 2011. Shri Mataji’s Maha Samadhi is at Nirmal Dham, New Delhi.
Sahaja Yoga is Born
Pondering on the many-faceted problems confronting human beings, Shri Mataji on the 5th of May, 1970, on a lonely beach at Nargol (about 150 km from Mumbai), visualized the process of en-masse Self Realization through which thousands of people could get this connection to their spirit and thereby their inner transformation. Since 1970, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi had kept a busy schedule, travelling around the world to teach the techniques of Sahaja Yoga meditation. Large numbers of people, thousands and thousands of them, without distinction of race, religion, age or social status have acknowledged the value of Her teachings by establishing Sahaja Yoga centres in over 120 nations.
International Achievements and Recognitions
Shri Mataji has been recognised worldwide by several prestigious institutions for Her selfless work and for the powerful results of Her spiritual teachings.
- Shri Mataji was declared “Personality of the Year” in 1986 by the Italian Government.
- In 1993, Shri Mataji was appointed as the Honorary member of The Presidium of Petrovskaya Academy of Arts and Science, Russia. In the history of the academy, only 12 people have been granted this honour, Einstein being one of them.
- In 1994, the Mayor of Brazil’s capital welcomed Shri Mataji at the airport, presenting Her with the key to the city, and sponsored all Her programmes.
In 1995, Shri Mataji was an official guest of the Chinese Government and was invited to speak at the International Women’s Conference in Beijing. - In the same year, She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Cognitive and Para-psychological Sciences by the Romanian Ecological University.
She has been recognised and greeted by the mayors of several cities in North America (Yonkers, NY, 1994 & 1996, Los Angeles, 1993 and 1994, British Columbia,1994, Cincinnati 1992, Philadelphia 1993, Berkeley, 1997).
She was given a Proclamation by the US Congress in 1997, which was submitted to the Congressional Records.
She was referred to as “Messenger of Peace” by Ayatollah Rouhani of Iran in 1998.
She was addressed as “An Avatar of the Modern Era” by Claes Nobel, grand nephew of Alfred Nobel (the creator of the Nobel Foundation) and Chairman of United Earth.
NGOs Created by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
In Her tremendous compassion and concern to alleviate human sufferings, Shri Mataji has been able to create a number of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organization’s) to solve the most immediate problems of the world in the last 25 years.
To mention a few:
An international hospital in Mumbai to help patients all over the world to get a chance to cure themselves through Sahaja Yoga methods. This hospital has been producing quite successful results in curing a number of incurable diseases like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.
An international cancer research centre in Mumbai in order to study the effects of Sahaja Yoga methods on curing various illnesses, including psychosomatic diseases.
A charity house for the poor people in Delhi, to provide shelter to destitute and homeless people. Also to help them through the process of Sahaja Yoga to become better individuals.
An international music school in Vaitarna, Maharashtra to promote Indian classical music.