Rishi Nityapragya Ji
Rarely one meets a person who with a glance can look into your eyes and see through your soul. This devout person clad in white, bursting with love and energy has transformed the lives of many, touched many a souls. At one moment his childlike innocence touches you and at the next, he becomes your guiding light. His charismatic mischievous smile sets him apart, makes you smile, makes you cry and leaves you asking for more. This magic personified is addressed as Rishi Nityapragya Ji. In all ways, to know him is to love him.
A devout disciple of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar, Rishiji is the director of programs in the largest volunteer based non profit NGO of the world, The Art of Living Foundation. The Art of Living Foundation, founded by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar is active in 157 countries. It is associated with the UN and WHO, has more than 5000 centres and has touched the lives of more than 55 million people. Rishiji in his role as the Director also trains the teachers and volunteers of the Art of Living Foundation.
During his early association with Gurudev replying to a question in a gathering, Gurudev said “I want to see a smile on everybody’s face, a kind of smile no situation can take away”. Through this one line Rishiji had found the purpose of his being, The mission of his life.
He is a qualified chemical engineer, has had a successful corporate career, was a financing partner in a software development firm, one of the top motorcycle racers and even a professional singer. But beyond this, he is blessed with macro vision and extremely precise micro action, which is evidently reflected on the course of work he has done over the years.
Rishiji has traveled over 60 countries, addressed various international forums such as:
- The Parliament of World’s Religions, Cape town, South Africa 1999
- UN Millennium Peace Summit, New York 2002
- The Global Dharma Conference, New-Jersey 2003
He has been a part of the International forum for world peace for Spiritual & Religious leaders, Chamber of commerce and Indian Management Association. He addressed the first ever Yoga & Meditation conference in Iran and has been an inspiring speaker on various subjects in more than 70 Universities worldwide.
His attainment of Self Knowledge and his enthusiasm to share it with the world seems to be growing by the day. He leads more than 180 public events each year ranging from Corporate talks to Youth forums, meetings of political and social decision makers to community upliftment programs, soul stirring concerts to spiritual meets and teaches the Art of Living programs to hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.