Skip to main content

Art of Living had sent out model draft to "nominate" Sri Sri for Nobel Prize, campaign began in 2004: Blogger

By A Representative
Amidst spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar's claim that he “refused” to accept Nobel Peace Prize, a 2010 blog, written by a “whistleblower” on a site "seeking" to open dialogue with “former Art of Living (AOL) members and currently doubting ones”, is being quoted to point towards how Sri Sri was “very feverish about getting a Nobel Peace Prize” in 2004.
“In September 2004”, this blog claims, “All AOL centres received an email saying that the Nobel Peace Prize Project (NPPP) has been launched with Guruji’s designation of an international team to work quickly and quietly on this initiative”.
It insisted, it was necessary to "initially to work with Peter Payoyo, overall coordinator, Netherlands; Christopher Kiran Byrt, Norway; Christoph Glaser, Switzerland; Werner Luedemann, Germany; Ewald Poeran, Netherlands; and Fahri Saatcioglu, Norway.”
The blog quotes the email as saying, “We urge everyone to be very discreet about this matter. It is the standard policy of the Nobel Committee that nominators and nominees must not publish nor advertise their nominations. Guruji’s nomination will be unnecessarily jeopardized if we allow the NPP Project to be exposed publicly. So let us all just keep the smile, keep the silence, and wish for the best.”
A model nomination letter was sent out to all the centres, the blogger says. Thus, an email warned, “The ‘model nomination letter’ circulated earlier (Word document: “Example and Elements of a Model Nomination Letter”) is for your guidance only. Use this document to get a general idea about the particular nomination letter which you need to draft, when this drafting is called for. The ‘model nomination letter’ should NOT be copied verbatim.”
Another email, quoted by the blogger, says, “The National Coordinator will act as a focal person for our collective efforts and will become part of the global coordination network to assist in Guruji’s NPP nomination.”
The person who sent the email said, “In the coming days and weeks, I and the other members of the International Coordination Team will be calling you individually by phone so that we may be able to share personal updates about progress made on the project.”
Suggesting that the spiritual guru personally took interest in the project, the blogger quotes an email as saying, “Yesterday in Brussels, I had the opportunity to talk to Guruji about our project. His message and his blessing to all of us is: Let us work harder and give our very best to come up with many NPP nomination letters.”
A second email said, “Guruji met with of the NPP Project Coordination Team last Saturday afternoon in his room in the Ashram at Bad Antogast, Germany. The members of the team that went to see him were Christoph Glasser, Werner Luedemann, Ewald Poeran, and myself. Also in attendance in the meeting were some Art of Living colleagues who had an interest in the project.”
And a third one said, “Guruji expressed satisfaction on the fact that we have secured at least 130 confirmed nominations as of Saturday morning. It was mentioned to him there were four heads of government (one president and three Prime Ministers) who have supported his nomination so far. It was also mentioned that many more new nominations will be secured in the coming days.”

Comments

If Nehru can compromise national security, sell the nation, lose parts of national territories to China and Pakistan only for pleasing the noble prize committee by projecting himself as a "peaceful" leader and get a noble peace prize, whats wrong when a real messenger of peace working tirelessly since decades to bring peace in the world in trying for a noble peace prize? RS has done far more work than many noble peace prize winners. If Obama can be given Noble peace prize just for withdrawing army from Iraq, RS deserves much more.
Anonymous said…
You must check your facts I guess, there are two cases still pending on this guy including one on cheque fraud and attempted rape. This is what people who interacted/lived with him say, when he was a nobody in shimogga in Karnataka. But you verify it for yourself, since your trust on him is much more than mine. Cheers
kuldip said…
This double siri is as much exploiter as are other saints. His shanti ashram in hardwar employs like other ashrams minor boys who work from 4 am to 11 pm with little break. In 2002 he used to pay them Rs. 800 to 1200 per month besides roti (without a tint of butter/ghee) and potato or dal. Hardly they are given parsad from the bhandara (community meal fed to idle saints and office staff) Today he might be paying 1500-PM but no change in diet and timings. The PF ESI or leave or any such labour benefits are never allowed to them. A mere doubt is sufficient ground for their thrashing. If such a exploiter can be granted a nobel prize, the prize itself is matter of shame.

TRENDING

Delhi Jal Board under fire as CAG finds 55% groundwater unfit for consumption

By A Representative   A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audit report tabled in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on 7 January 2026 has revealed alarming lapses in the quality and safety of drinking water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), raising serious public health concerns for residents of the capital. 

Advocacy group decries 'hyper-centralization' as States’ share of health funds plummets

By A Representative   In a major pre-budget mobilization, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), India’s leading public health advocacy network, has issued a sharp critique of the Union government’s health spending and demanded a doubling of the health budget for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year. 

Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s views on religion as Tagore’s saw them

By Harasankar Adhikari   Religion has become a visible subject in India’s public discourse, particularly where it intersects with political debate. Recent events, including a mass Gita chanting programme in Kolkata and other incidents involving public expressions of faith, have drawn attention to how religion features in everyday life. These developments have raised questions about the relationship between modern technological progress and traditional religious practice.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra*  The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Pairing not with law but with perpetrators: Pavlovian response to lynchings in India

By Vikash Narain Rai* Lynch-law owes its name to James Lynch, the legendary Warden of Galway, Ireland, who tried, condemned and executed his own son in 1493 for defrauding and killing strangers. But, today, what kind of a person will justify the lynching for any reason whatsoever? Will perhaps resemble the proverbial ‘wrong man to meet at wrong road at night!’

Zhou Enlai: The enigmatic premier who stabilized chaos—at what cost?

By Harsh Thakor*  Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 1949 until his death and as Foreign Minister from 1949 to 1958. He played a central role in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for over five decades, contributing to its organization, military efforts, diplomacy, and governance. His tenure spanned key events including the Long March, World War II alliances, the founding of the PRC, the Korean War, and the Cultural Revolution. 

'Threat to farmers’ rights': New seeds Bill sparks fears of rising corporate control

By Bharat Dogra  As debate intensifies over a new seeds bill, groups working on farmers’ seed rights, seed sovereignty and rural self-reliance have raised serious concerns about the proposed legislation. To understand these anxieties, it is important to recognise a global trend: growing control of the seed sector by a handful of multinational companies. This trend risks extending corporate dominance across food and farming systems, jeopardising the livelihoods and rights of small farmers and raising serious ecological and health concerns. The pending bill must be assessed within this broader context.

Climate advocates face scrutiny as India expands coal dependence

By A Representative   The National Alliance for Climate and Environmental Justice (NACEJ) has strongly criticized what it described as coercive actions against climate activists Harjeet Singh and Sanjay Vashisht, following enforcement raids reportedly carried out on the basis of alleged violations of foreign exchange regulations and intelligence inputs.