Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is an Indian spiritual leader, humanitarian, author, and peace ambassador, and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a global non-profit promoting meditation, stress management, conflict resolution, and humanitarian service. Through his teachings he has reached people in more than 180 countries.

Born on 13 May 1956 in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, he showed an early interest in spirituality and meditation, studying Vedic literature and physics before founding the Art of Living Foundation in 1981. He later developed the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique, which became the foundation of many of the organisation's wellness programmes. Over the years he has led humanitarian initiatives, disaster relief efforts, educational programmes, and peace dialogues in conflict-affected regions, and has authored numerous books on spirituality, meditation, and personal development.