Category: Festivals

Mila Hamilton (USA) “When I first met Amma, I was like many young people in my country—very self-absorbed, spiritually dull and angry at the world. Since then, I am becoming more centred in the ways of spiritual life and awake to the need of becoming part of the solution to the problems in the world.”…

Harikrishnan V. (India) “Amma taught me the meaning of doing selfless service.” —Harikrishnan V. An excerpt from the AITEC engineering student’s Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit speech on Amma’s impact on his life. “If it hadn’t been for Amma, only God knows where I would be by now—perhaps in jail. So one must always think that Mother…

Vani Daisy Rockliffe (France) “The most important change Amma has brought about in my life is that She gives everything I do a meaning.” —Vani Daisy Rockliffe An excerpt of the Vani’s Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit speech on Amma’s impact on her life. “The most important change Amma has brought about in my life is that…

Felix Elmendorff (Germany) “Amma had taught me to pray for the happiness of the whole world. I couldn’t imagine myself doing that with a weapon in my hand, so I decided to do civil service.” —Felix Elmendorff An overview of the Felix’s Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit speech on Amma’s impact on his life. “I like rap,…

Eknath Graham O’Connor (USA) “Amma has led me to question my own life. ‘What am I doing with myself from day to day?’ ‘Where is my life headed?’ ‘Am I working towards any goal?’ ‘What purpose do my actions serve?’” —Eknath Graham O’Connor An excerpt from Eknath’s Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit speech on Amma’s impact on…

Gayathri Somnath (India) “The way I think, my attitude towards my studies and my personality as a whole are all a result of growing up having Amma as my guide and Guru.” —Gayathri Somnath An overview of the 20-year-old AITEC student’s Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit speech on Amma’s impact on her life. Gayathri grew up in…

26 September 2003 In connection with the Amritavarsham50 Youth Summit—”The Future Generation Embracing Selfless Service”—celebrities and dignitaries from around the world addressed an international gathering of 100,000 youth. Ready to address the youth (l-r): Shri. Bawa Jain, Shri. C.K. Prahalad, Ms. Hanne Strong, Padmashree Mammootty, Shri. A.K. Antony, Amma, President Kalam, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Shri.…

Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Tells 100,000 Youth to Dare to Dream Addressing the 100,000 youth gathered in Amma’s divine presence, President Kalam told them to “Dare to dream.” In the divine presence of Amma, His Excellency the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, addressed 100,000 young people from around the world. 26 September…

The Future Generation Embracing Selfless Service for Peace & Harmony On 26 September 2003, Amritavarsham50 held its Youth Summit. Bringing together youth from around the world to speak about the impact Amma has had on their lives. Later in the day, His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the President of India, delivered an address to the…

A Personal Account of Jala Mahasangamam Representing Cyprus 26 September 2003 It was only with the commencement of the Jala Mahasangamam that most people realised that, indeed, the world had come to celebrate Amma’s 50th birthday. The procession for peace involved representatives of all the 191 United Nations countries (as well as Tibet and the…