Amit Shah Hails Gayatri Parivar’s Spiritual Legacy at Centenary Event in Haridwar

Calling Haridwar a confluence of faith, spirituality and culture, Shah said his presence at the Akhand Jyoti conference filled him with a sense of “unbroken energy and consciousness”.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah on Thursday addressed the “Centenary Year Ceremony – 2026” organised by the Gayatri Parivar in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, marking the birth centenary of revered Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma Ji and the centenary year of the Akhand Deep. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Calling Haridwar a confluence of faith, spirituality and culture, Shah said his presence at the Akhand Jyoti conference filled him with a sense of “unbroken energy and consciousness”. He paid tribute to Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya, noting that the spiritual leader chose the path of individual transformation to revive India’s faith, spirituality and cultural ethos.

India’s Spiritual Tradition Holds Global Answers

Shah said those who understand Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture and history firmly believe that solutions to the world’s problems lie within India’s own traditions. “The spiritual reconstruction of India will benefit not only the country but the entire world,” he said, citing visionaries such as Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Aurobindo and Pandit Ram Sharma Acharya, whose words, he said, continue to guide humanity.

He highlighted how Pandit Ram Sharma Ji took the Gayatri Mantra beyond temples, placing it on the lips and in the hearts of ordinary people, and transforming devotion into a mass movement.

A Movement That Transcended Eras

The Home Minister said Pandit Ram Sharma Acharya and Mata Bhagwati Devi accomplished in their lifetimes what would normally take centuries. Today, the Gayatri Parivar guides over 15 crore followers across more than 100 countries, advancing spiritual upliftment and social welfare.

He noted that the period 1925–26, when the Gayatri movement began, was also a year of national resurgence, coinciding with the founding of the RSS, the establishment of Gita Press, Gorakhpur, and now the centenary of Mata Bhagwati Devi Ji. “It appears God himself created that year for India’s resurgence,” Shah said.

“Hum Badlenge, Yug Badlega”

Shah emphasised Pandit Ram Sharma Ji’s central message—“Hum Badlenge, Yug Badlega” (We will change, the era will change)—calling it a guiding principle for national transformation. He explained the deep connection between this slogan and the Gayatri Mantra, whose 24 syllables, he said, awaken 24 noble spiritual centres, cultivating courage, altruism and righteous intellect.

He added that the Gayatri Mantra, once reduced to ritual, was given a scientific foundation and renewed energy by Pandit Ram Sharma Ji, making it a tool for personal and social reform.

Social Reform and Nation-Building

Shah recalled Pandit Ram Sharma Ji’s role in the freedom movement, including participation in the Salt Satyagraha, and his post-independence efforts against social evils such as caste discrimination, dowry, addiction, and environmental degradation. He highlighted initiatives ranging from women’s empowerment to Ganga cleanliness and tree plantation.

The Home Minister noted that Akhand Jyoti magazine, published without advertisements or external support, reaches crores of readers in over 100 languages—an achievement he attributed to the spiritual discipline of Pandit Ji and Mata Ji.

Tradition and Technology Together

Highlighting the movement’s relevance for the future, Shah said Pandit Ram Sharma Ji demonstrated that religion and science are complementary, not contradictory. “Seeing children in the Gayatri Parivar holding a Veda in one hand and a laptop in the other shows that tradition and progress can go hand in hand,” he said.

Vision for Viksit Bharat

Shah linked the Gayatri Parivar’s mission with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Amrit Kaal and Viksit Bharat@2047, saying the resolve to build a spiritually rooted yet fully developed India cannot be achieved without the cooperation of social and spiritual organisations.

He also highlighted major developments of the past decade, including the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the redevelopment of Kashi Vishwanath, restoration of Somnath, abrogation of Article 370, and progress towards a Uniform Civil Code, saying these reflected a renewed cultural confidence.

New Hospital Inaugurated

On the occasion, Shri Amit Shah also inaugurated the Patanjali Emergency and Critical Care Hospital in Haridwar, adding to the region’s healthcare infrastructure.