Prem Rawat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prem Rawat
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Prem Rawat in Barcelona, Spain in 2018
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Prem Pal Singh Rawat
10 December 1957 |
| Nationality | Indian, American |
| Other names | (Guru) Maharaji |
| Occupation | Speaker |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Organization | The Prem Rawat Foundation Words of Peace Elan Vital Divine Light Mission |
| Known for | Peace Education Program Millennium '73 "Peace Bomb" address |
| Spouse(s) | Marolyn Rawat |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Satpal Rawat (brother) Amrita Rawat (sister-in-law) Navi Rawat (niece) |
| Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award of Asia Pacific Brands Foundation |
Prem Pal Singh Rawat (born 10 December 1957), also known as Maharaji, is a speaker and author from India. He teaches a special way of meditating called "Knowledge." He also teaches about peace, helping people find their inner strength, make good choices, feel thankful, and have hope.
Prem Rawat is the youngest son of Hans Ram Singh Rawat, an Indian spiritual teacher who started the Divine Light Mission (DLM). When his father passed away, Prem Rawat was only eight years old, but he took on his father's role. At 13, he traveled to the West, including the United States. Many young people became interested in his message, and his group grew very quickly. Some news reporters were surprised by how young he was. He was also sometimes criticized for his comfortable lifestyle.
When Prem Rawat was 16, he married a woman who was not Indian. This caused a split with his mother. His mother controlled the Indian part of the Divine Light Mission, while Prem Rawat led the group in other countries. In the early 1980s, he started to talk less about religion in his speeches. He also closed the special centers where his followers lived. The Divine Light Mission then changed its name to Elan Vital. Since then, Prem Rawat has traveled a lot, speaking about peace to many people around the world. He has received awards for his work and message of peace.
In 2001, he started The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF). This foundation supports his work and helps people in need. Its Peace Education Program is used in prisons and other places around the world.
Contents
Prem Rawat's Early Life and Journey
Growing Up and Becoming a Teacher (1957-1970)
Prem Pāl Singh Rawat was born in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, on December 10, 1957. He was the youngest of four sons. His father, Hans Rām Singh Rawat, was a spiritual teacher. Prem Rawat went to elementary school in Dehra Dun. When he was four, he started speaking at his father's meetings. At six, his father taught him the "techniques of Knowledge."
His father passed away in 1966. During the time of mourning, his mother and other leaders talked about who would lead next. Before they could decide, eight-year-old Prem Rawat spoke to the crowd. He reminded them that their teacher was still with them. After this, his mother, his older brother Satpal, and other leaders accepted Prem Rawat as their new spiritual guide. He became known as "Guru Maharaj Ji" and "Balyogeshwar" (meaning "born saint") because he was so young and wise. From then on, Prem Rawat spent his weekends and school holidays traveling, just like his father. He spoke to people about "Knowledge" and finding inner peace. Because he was so young, his family helped manage the Divine Light Mission.
In the 1960s, some Westerners in India met members of the Divine Light Mission. Many became followers. In 1969, British followers invited Prem Rawat to visit the West. In 1970, many of his new Western followers traveled to India to see him. They were there when he gave a famous speech called the "Peace Bomb" in Delhi. This speech marked the beginning of his work around the world.
Traveling to the West (1971-1975)
In 1971, Prem Rawat traveled to the West. His first speech there was at the Glastonbury Fayre in England. He then visited Los Angeles, New York, and other cities. Some people made fun of him because he was so young to be a spiritual leader. However, many young adults were very interested in his message. They were drawn to the joy and peace shown by his followers. One person said that Prem Rawat "played the whole time he was there... Love flowed back and forth between him and his followers."
Prem Rawat started learning to fly planes when he was 13. By 15, he was training on jet planes. He traveled almost all the time and had homes in different countries.
In 1972, a big festival called Hans Jayanti celebrated his father's birthday. Over 500,000 people attended. Many American followers even helped people from South America fly to India for free.
In August 1973, Prem Rawat spoke at an event in Boston that had 9,000 people. A reporter wrote that he seemed humble. He encouraged his followers to let go of ideas that might stop them from fully experiencing "Knowledge."
In August 1973, while Prem Rawat was in Detroit, a journalist threw a shaving cream pie at him. Prem Rawat said he did not want the person arrested.
Prem Rawat's message spread widely. A journalist wrote that "Thousands of people follow him wherever he goes." His public events attracted many people.
In September 1973, a tour of US cities was cut short because Prem Rawat had to go to the hospital. His doctor said he was tired from constant travel.
The Hans Jayanti festival in 1973, called "Millennium '73", was held in the Houston Astrodome. Organizers hoped for 100,000 people, but about 20,000 attended. The event was shown in a documentary called "Lord of the Universe." Followers were described as "cheerful, friendly and unruffled." Some reporters found his ideas a bit confusing. The event was called the "youth culture event of the year."
The "Millennium '73" event cost a lot of money and left the Divine Light Mission in debt. This led to changes in the group. By 1976, they had greatly reduced the debt.
Because Prem Rawat was so young, his mother and older brother managed the Divine Light Mission. When Prem Rawat turned 16, he wanted to take a bigger role. In December 1973, he took control of the Mission's US branch. His mother and brother returned to India.
By the end of 1973, the Divine Light Mission was active in 55 countries. Tens of thousands of people had become followers. This year was seen as the "peak of the Mission's success."
Prem Rawat's comfortable lifestyle caused some discussion in the early 1970s. Some news reports said he lived "like a king." Critics said his lifestyle was paid for by donations from his followers. However, his supporters said that he did not tell people to give up material things, but to not be overly attached to them. They saw his lifestyle as a kind of "divine play."
In May 1974, Prem Rawat married Marolyn Johnson, a 24-year-old follower. His mother was not invited to the wedding.
His marriage to a non-Indian woman finally caused a complete split with his mother. She kept control of the Divine Light Mission in India. Prem Rawat kept the support of his Western followers. He became very comfortable financially from gifts from his followers. He had a home for his family and paid for travel for his close staff. By early 1974, the number of full-time staff had grown from six to over a thousand.
In November 1974, Prem Rawat moved to a large property in Malibu, California, for more privacy. The Divine Light Mission bought the property for $400,000. It became the Mission's West Coast office.
Changes and Growth (1976-2000)
By 1976, most followers saw Prem Rawat mainly as a spiritual teacher and guide. In January 1976, he told them to leave the special centers and stop using Indian customs. He felt that the organization had come between him and his followers. He gave more power to local communities. The staff at the main office in Denver was reduced.
On December 20, 1976, Prem Rawat appeared in Atlantic City, New Jersey, wearing a traditional Indian costume. This showed a return to some Indian influences. In 1977, he became a US citizen.
In October 1978, a wildfire burned the hills around Rawat's Malibu home. His family and the DLM office then moved to Miami Beach, Florida. The family, which now included four children, returned to Malibu in 1984.
In 1980, Rawat removed all "religious" parts of the movement. He said he wanted "no movement whatsoever." He focused more on the meditation techniques. He stopped being called "Perfect Master" but remained a teacher. In 1983, the Divine Light Mission was renamed Elan Vital. Rawat closed the last Western centers, ending his use of Indian ways for his international work.
During this time, Rawat traveled a lot. In one two-year period, he spoke at over 100 events in 37 cities around the world.
By 1990, there were about 1.2 million followers worldwide. In 1999, he started regular satellite broadcasts of his talks to North America and other countries.
Recent Work (2001-Present)
In 2001, Prem Rawat started The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF). This is a charity that supports his message and helps people in need around the world. TPRF has given food, water, and medical help to areas affected by war and poverty.
In 2006, a professor named Ron Geaves noted that Elan Vital explained that the best way to reach over 80 countries was by private jet, which Rawat flew himself. He flew about a quarter million miles each year.
A book about Rawat, Peace is Possible, was published in 2006. In 2007, Rawat started the Peace Education Program for people in prison. By 2012, it was used in 25 prisons in 10 countries. A professor of criminal justice said that "The positive changes in behavior among participants have been noticed."
In 2006, Prem Rawat received the honorary title of Ambassador of Peace in Brazil. In 2009, he was made Ambassador of Peace for a region in Italy. In 2010, he spoke at a "Words of Peace for Europe" meeting in Brussels.
In 2011, he spoke again at the Brussels conference, "Peace and Prosperity. Founding Values of the European Union." There, he was named ambassador of the Brussels Declaration “Pledge to Peace.” This pledge encourages governments and organizations to work on peace projects.
In 2012, Prem Rawat received the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in Malaysia. This was for his work in promoting global peace.
In 2016, Prem Rawat gave a main speech at an event in London. Government officials and leaders met to talk about peace education, solving problems without violence, and prison reform.
In March 2021, the Italian Ministry of Justice signed an agreement to use the Peace Education Program for prisoners. In April 2021, a similar agreement was signed with the South African government.
On June 17, 2022, Prem Rawat received the first “Key of Avalon” award from the Council of Glastonbury, United Kingdom. This was to recognize his fifty years of working for peace and helping humanity.
Rawat is mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for two large events. On April 2, 2023, he had the largest audience at a book reading for a single author, with 114,704 people in India. On November 26, 2023, he had the largest attendance at a lecture, with 375,603 people, also in India.
What Prem Rawat Teaches
The main idea of Prem Rawat's teaching is that people can find happiness and peace by looking inside themselves. He says that light, love, wisdom, and clarity are already within each person. He teaches meditation techniques, which he calls 'Knowledge', to help people connect with these inner qualities.
He often uses quotes from different religious texts, but he says his inspiration comes from his own inner experience. Before learning the "Knowledge," he asks people to try it fairly and stay in touch with him. He also asks them not to share the techniques with others, so that everyone can experience them for themselves.
Followers describe "Knowledge" as a very personal experience. It does not have strict rules, religious ceremonies, or beliefs. Prem Rawat says he offers practical ways to find inner peace that anyone can use. He used to want to bring world peace, but now he focuses more on helping individuals.
Organizations Supporting His Work
Prem Rawat first led the Divine Light Mission, which his father started. Later, he created Elan Vital and Words of Peace International. These groups are not tied to Indian culture or religion. The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), started in 2001, focuses more on helping people in need.
Divine Light Mission
The Divine Light Mission (DLM) was started in 1960 by Hans Rawat in India. In the 1970s, it became well-known in the West under Prem Rawat's leadership. Some people saw it as a new religious group.
Elan Vital and Words of Peace International
The Divine Light Mission was changed when Prem Rawat decided to move away from Indian culture and religion. He wanted his teachings to be for everyone, no matter their background. In 1983, the DLM in the United States changed its name to Elan Vital. Elan Vital became the name for several groups that supported Rawat's work. These groups raised money and organized his talks. The Elan Vital website says that Elan Vital stopped its main work in 2010. New groups like Words of Peace International now continue the work.
The Prem Rawat Foundation
In 2001, Prem Rawat started The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF). This charity creates and shares materials about his message. It also helps with humanitarian efforts around the world. TPRF has given food, water, and medical aid to places that are struggling.
The Peace Education Program (PEP), created by TPRF, is a program that uses videos and discussions. It helps people explore the idea of personal peace. It also helps them find their inner strengths, like the ability to choose, appreciate things, and have hope. This program has been successful in some schools. By 2012, it was also used in 28 prisons in 10 countries, including the United States, South Africa, and Australia. This program helps people in prison learn about self-discovery and hope for a better life.
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See also
In Spanish: Prem Rawat para niños
