Ural Federal University, One Of Russia’s Largest Educational Institutions, Confers Sri Sri Ravi Shankar With Honorary Doctorate

Dear Editor, 

Ural Federal University, One Of Russia's Largest Educational Institutions, Confers Sri Sri Ravi Shankar With Honorary Doctorate and a MOU was signed between with the Ural Federal University represented by Victor Koksharov, Rector of the university and Sri Sri University in Orissa, India. 

Do carry in your publication.

30 June 2019, Bengaluru: The Ural Federal University, one of Russia's largest institutions of higher learning named after the first President of Russia, B N Yeltsin, conferred Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with Honorary Doctorate.  

Furthering the cause of a positive exchange of knowledge and skills training between the two institutions, Gurudev signed an MOU between with the Ural Federal University represented by Victor Koksharov, Rector of the university and Sri Sri University in Orissa, India.

"Universities are there to create a vibrant mind, a mind that is open to research, questioning and new learning," says global humanitarian and spiritual master, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of The Art of Living.

About Sri Sri University

SSU is India's first smoke, alcohol and drug free campus envisioned by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar the university was established in 2009 as a center for world-class education in India. The education provided here brings together the best of Western innovation with the ancient values, knowledge systems and wisdom of the East. The university offers a range of pivotal as well as unique courses that seek to preserve the ancient wisdom of the East thorough programs in yoga and naturopathy, classical performing arts and offer the best of Western innovation through cutting-edge programs in Osteopathy and Craniosacral therapy, good governance and management.

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Sri Sri Conferred With Hon. Doctorate By Ural Federal University, One of Russia's Largest Educational Institutions

27 June 2019, Bengaluru: Global humanitarian and spiritual leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was conferred with Hon. Doctorate for 'his contribution to development of inter-cultural friendship between the republic of India and Russian Federation' by the Ural Federal University, one of Russia's largest institutions of higher learning named after the first President of Russia, B N Yeltsin.  

Gurudev in his address emphasized on the need for an education that is inclusive and humane. "It is education that is needed in every corner of this world for a happy peaceful society," Gurudev said, "Whether it is technology, arts or sciences or humanities, it is the universities that give us a universal vision, a vision of what life is, how one should conduct one's life. We have technology to connect lives, but we need education that also connects the hearts, where human values are given importance to."

Victor Koksharov, Rector of the Ural Federal University appreciated that a volunteer run organization like The Art of Living (founded by Gurudev) could run 618 schools catering to 80,000 children in providing free education.

Gurudev also encouraged students to incorporate yoga, deep breathing techniques and meditation in their daily routines to lead stress free lives.

Furthering the cause of a positive exchange of knowledge and skills training between the two institutions, Gurudev signed an MOU between with the Ural Federal University represented by Victor Koksharov, Rector of the university and Sri Sri University in Orissa, envisioned by Gurudev, India's first alcohol, drugs and smoke free campus

Regards,

Rajalakshmi

Media Co-ordinator

YOGA ENTHUSIASTS LIKELY TO 'WARRIOR' INTO WORLD RECORDS THIS INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

Dear Editor,

The Art of Living along with partner organizations will attempt a Guinness World Record and Limca Book of Records on International Day of Yoga on 21st June 2019. The attempt will be to hold Veerabhadrasana (Warrior Pose 1) for 3 minutes at 22 locations in India with maximum number of participants. Trained Sri Sri Yoga teachers of Art of Living will guide the participants to hold the posture and attempt a record at multiple locations for the first time, including at Bargarh, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Damanjodi, Guntur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kozhencherry, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Phaltan, Raipur, Rewari, Thiruvananthapuram, Udgir, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam.

In Chennai, the world records attempt will be at Avichi School, Virugambakkam on June 21, 2019, International Yoga Day. The program will begin at 5.45 am and will end at 7.30 am. 

Over 200 people including school children, and adults of all ages will participate in the event in Chennai.

 

Location: Avichi School, Virugambakkam, Chennai

Date: Friday, 21 June 2019

Timings: Early morning, 5.45 am to 7.30 am

 

Inviting you to join us by way of spreading the Spirit of Yoga, in your Publications. Request you to send your reporters to cover the program. For further information, please contact Nethra at 8144841447 

with warm regards,

Rajalakshmi

Media Co-ordinator

9884017767

World Environment Day - Keynote Address at Nobel Peace Centre, Oslo

Dear Editor,

Close on the heels of the World Environment Day, global humanitarian and spiritual leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was invited to deliver the keynote address at Clean Air Games-a unique international forum that discusses the social and environmental impact side of sports among its stakeholders- at Nobel Peace Center, Oslo.  

He also interacted with Liv Tørres, CEO of the Nobel Peace Center on the theme of courageous leadership for sustainable long term investments. 

To know more, please find the detailed press release below (along with translations).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HX8w3m1qKnex0NKWjLF9lZG4RHAd92UN

Pictures can be found here-

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1xbZ_h87MWzddBFNsqX8CbtrvvykG9Zd1) 

Your readers will definitely like reading this story. Do carry in your publication.

Sri Sri Invokes Tagore In His Keynote For Clean Air Games Conference At Nobel Peace Center

In the conference titled "a sustainable future requires courageous investment", Sri Sri emphasized that for any major social transformation, dynamism driven by inner peace was necessary which alone could create sustainable change in mindset.

Bengaluru, 4 June 2019: Close on the heels of the World Environment Day, global humanitarian and spiritual leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was invited to deliver the keynote address at Clean Air Games-a unique 2 day international event that brings together the cause of  environmental impact and sustainability with sports, hosted at Nobel Peace Center, Oslo. 

"The mindset of people is key in bringing any transformation to help us move forward," Gurudev said in his address, "We need to change the mindset from a consumerist one to one that looks out for the future too. And for change of mindset, one must listen. Listening is impossible if someone is stressed. Outer peace can come only if there's inner peace. Someone who is stressed in the mind will be too tired and exhausted to care about anyone or any cause. So, care for the planet comes from a peaceful individual, where one begins to see the planet as part of oneself. This education has to brought (to more people)."

The others present at the conference included Liv Tørres, CEO of the Nobel Peace Center, and international sports commentator, Knut Skeie Solberg.

 Addressing a mix of sportspeople, change makers, statesmen, policy makers and other stakeholders, on the topic 'Sustainability as a mindset: The Art of Living's approach', 

Gurudev shared The Art of Living's inside out approach of making social change, that is, people driven by inner spiritual peace and call to serve the society, have volunteered to make significant impact. The Art of Living volunteers present in 156 countries have successfully planted 80 million trees and have worked on reviving 41 rivers (that existed merely on papers) across India, benefiting over 50 million people. 

Gurudev cited the example of how The Art of Living volunteers reached out to more than 280000 farmers to discourage them from stubble burning which was one of the main causes of hazardous air quality and toxic pollutants being released in the air in and around Delhi region. The farmers were instead trained in mulching practices to recycle the waste, also benefiting the farmers as it provided sufficient nitrogen fix that the soil needed, while keeping the air clean and breathable. 

He also shared the transformational story of Latur, one of the first towns to be hit by the fierce droughts in Maharashtra to an extent that it had to get portable water transported from other cities. (Ground water)Tables turned, quite literally as the civil society, led by The Art of Living, joined the river rejuvenation movement to revive the dead rivers and streams, harvest rainwater, build ground water recharge structures and raise the water table.

"Environment doesn't have any geographic or political boundaries," Gurudev said, "You cannot say we want clean air only in Norway. If there's no clean air elsewhere we're not going to have it here. We have one planet earth and we have one atmosphere. To care for that we need to create huge awareness throughout the world, for which spiritual tools need to be adopted."

Apart from the need for spirituality to create more environmentally conscious individuals and change mindsets, Gurudev also shared practical inputs that can reduce the burden of environmental pollution on the planet. While referring to the global fireworks that go off during New Years Eve, creating massive air toxicity that makes air unbreathable, Gurudev instead suggested, the world community to adopt a possible environmental middle path of electronic (laser) fireworks. 

He also challenged the misnomer that organic farming was uneconomical and that chemicals and GMO seeds were needed in the soil for quicker output, without which the entire population will starve. "We've proved this is wrong. This is just a lobby trying to take money and power from poor people. So the poor farmers cannot maintain their seed banks. It pushes the poor farmer into dependence. We've demonstrated again and again in India that doing agriculture organically is sustainable."

During his interaction with Liv Tørres about courageous leadership needed for sustainable investments, invoking the Nobel Laureate-Rabindranath Tagore, he shared, "You need the courage to face opposition from unknown corners when you are convinced that something needs to be done. Tagore gave a beautiful slogan-Ekla Chalo Re. You move alone even if there's nobody with you. But then everyone will come together, when they see what you are doing, is much needed."

With best regards,

Rajalakshmi

Media co-ordinator

Mobile: 9884017767

"யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்" - உலகத் தமிழாராய்ச்சி மற்றும் பெட்னா - சிகாகோ மாநாட்டுப் பாடல் அமெரிக்காவில் சிறப்பாக வெளியிடப்பட்டது..

ஊடக அன்பர்களுக்கு வணக்கம்,

வட அமெரிக்கத் தமிழரின் இந்த பெருமுயற்சியை,  பெருமை கொள்ளும் பாடலை மக்களுக்கு குறிப்பாக இளைய தலைமுறைக்கு கொண்டு செல்ல செய்தியை பகிர்ந்து உதவுங்கள்..
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"யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்" - உலகத் தமிழாராய்ச்சி மற்றும் பெட்னா - சிகாகோ மாநாட்டுப் பாடல் அமெரிக்காவில் சிறப்பாக வெளியிடப்பட்டது..

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtHYz6FuiAc

வரும் ஜூலை மாதம் அமெரிக்காவில் முதல் முறையாக நடக்கவிருக்கும் 10வது உலகத்தமிழ் ஆராய்ச்சி மாநாட்டின் மையநோக்குப் பாடல் ( Theme song) அமெரிக்காவின் சார்சியா மாகாணத்தில் மிகச்சிறப்பாக வெளியிடப்பட்டது. 

தமிழ் இலக்கியத்தின் உச்ச சாதனைகளில் ஒன்றான 'யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்' என்ற புறநானூற்றுப் பாடலுக்கு, டர்ஹாம் சிம்பொனியுடன் இணைந்து, இசையில் உச்சம் தொட்டிருக்கிறார் இசையமைப்பாளர் ராஜன் சோமசுந்தரம். யாதும் ஊரே பாடலின் முதல் வரிக்கேற்ப, பல நாடுகளைச் சேர்ந்த இசைக்கலைஞர்களை ஒன்றிணைத்து, பல இசை வடிவங்களையும் ஒன்றாய்க் கோர்த்து தமிழ்த்தாய் பெருமைகொள்ளும் அற்புதமான இசைமாலையாய் உருவாகி இருக்கிறது இப்பாடல்.

ஆப்பிரிக்க குரலிசையில் தொடங்கும் பாடல், ராக் இசைக்கு தாவி, பின் ராப், பாப் என்று பயணித்து, பாடகர் கார்த்திக்கின் இனிமையான குரலில் யாதும் ஊரே என்று தொடங்கும்போது ஒரே நிமிடத்தில் உலகைச்சுற்றி நம் ஊருக்கு வந்து சேர்ந்த உணர்வு ஏற்படுகிறது! நடுவில் சீனர்களின் இசை, அரேபிய இசை, மேற்கிந்திய தீவுகளின் காலிப்ஸோ, ஜாஸ், கர்நாடக சங்கீதம் இவற்றுடன் நம் நாட்டுப்புற இசை உற்சாகமாக இணையும் போது, எப்படி இத்தனை இசைவகைகளும் வேறுபாடின்றி இவ்வளவு எளிதாக ஒன்றுடன் ஒன்று கலக்க முடியும் என்ற வியப்பை அளிக்கிறது! கணியன் பூங்குன்றனாரின் சாகா வரம்பெற்ற வரிகளில் 'மாட்சியின் பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே, சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே' என்னுமிடத்தில் இசை முழுமை அடைந்து நம் இதயத்தையும், கண்களையும் நிறைக்கிறது.

பிரபல இசை நடத்துனரும், அமெரிக்காவின் 40 பெரிய சிம்பொனி குழுக்களை வழி நடத்தியவருமான மேஸ்ட்ரோ வில்லியம் ஹென்றி கர்ரி வழிகாட்டலில், டர்ஹாம் சிம்பொனி வழங்கியிருக்கும் மேற்கத்திய இசை, தடையற்ற அருவியாய் நம்மேல் பொழிந்து, இப்பாடலை வேறொரு தளத்திற்கு உயர்த்திச் செல்கிறது.

கம்பீரமும், பெருமையும் கலந்து அபாரமாகப் பாடியிருக்கிறார் கார்த்திக். பாடகி பாம்பே ஜெயஸ்ரீ புது உற்சாகம் பாய்ச்சி இருக்கிறார். தமிழ் தெரியாத இத்தாலிய பாப் பாடகி சார்லட் கார்டினாலே, லண்டனைச் சேர்ந்த ராப் இசை பாடகர் தர்ட்டின் பீட்ஸ் இருவரும் தமிழ் வார்த்தைகளைக் கற்று பாடியிருக்கிறார்கள். உக்ரேனைக் சேர்ந்த கிதார் கலைஞர் ஆர்ட்டம் எபிமோவின் ராக் கிதாருடன், ராஜேஷ் வைத்யாவின் கர்நாடக வீணையிசை, ராப் மற்றும் பறையிசை கலக்குமிடம் சிலிர்ப்பூட்டுகிறது.

இசையில் பல வடிவங்களை இணைத்ததைப் போல, பல வகை நடனங்களையும் கலந்து அமர்க்களப்படுத்தி இருக்கிறார்கள் வீடியோவில். இசை வடிவங்களுக்கேற்ப பாலே, ஜாஸ், டேப், ஹிப்ஹாப், ஜிப்ஸி, பரதநாட்டியம், அமெரிக்கர்கள் ஆடும் நம் நாட்டுப்புற நடனம் என்று அலையலையாய் வந்து கொண்டே இருக்கின்றன. மேலும், தமிழர்கள் அதிகமாய் வசிக்கும் பல நாடுகள் பின்னணியில் வந்து செல்வது, பல இனத்தை சேர்ந்த மக்களும் ஒன்றாக நம் உணவை சாப்பிடுவது, ஒன்றாக நடனம் ஆடுவது என்று பாடலின் வரிகளுக்கேற்ப யோசித்து செய்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

இசையமைப்பாளர் ராஜன், டர்ஹாம் சிம்பொனியுடன் இணைந்து ஏழு சங்கத்தமிழ் பாடல்களை முழு இசைத்தொகுப்பாக கொண்டுவரும் பெரும் முயற்சியில் இருக்கிறார். அதைப்பற்றி கூடுதல் தகவல்களைப் பெறவோ, உதவிக்கரம் அளிக்கவோ அவரை பின்வரும் முகவரியில் தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம். ComposerRajan@gmail.com
 
In English:
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International Association of Tamil Research (IATR) and FeTNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America) proudly present the theme song of the 10th World Tamil Conference scheduled in the United States of America for the first time!

URL:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtHYz6FuiAc

For one of the greatest and most visionary Tamil Sangam era poetry written 2000 years, “Yathum Oore, Yavarum Kelir”, Composer Rajan has created a grand and matching musical form with Durham Symphony and some of the leading singers of our times.

True to the meaning of the first line, ‘Yathum Oore’, Rajan has collaborated with artists from multiple countries, ethnicities and languages.

The song has an astonishing number of genres fused together- African voices, Rock, Rap, Calypso, Jazz, Pop, Chinese and Mediterranean along with melodic layers woven in Carnatic and western classical.

As the music review website TheBandCampDiaries put it:
Listening “Yathum Oore Anthem” is not just like listening to any other composition. What’s really amazing about this song is that it offers a true, authentic peek at some of the earliest musical traditions in the world. The composition, in fact, features lush soundscapes and tasteful arrangements, inspired by South Indian Classical Music, and pretty much anything in between - including influences from the western world.

America’s acclaimed conductor, Maestro William Henry Curry who has directed 40 large Symphony orchestras in the United States, has lead Durham Symphony that provides a silky backdrop for the lead melody to glide through.

Singer Karthik and Bombay Jayashri have provided a majestic rendition of the song. Italian Pop singer Charlotte Cardinale and London based rapper Thir13een Beatz have learnt Tamil words and provided totally different flavors to the song.

One of the highlights of the song is when the Rock guitars by Ukranian Artem Efimov seamlessly fuse with the Carnatic Veena of Rajhesh Vaidya along with Rap and South Indian folk beats.

The choreographer has tried a similar challenge of fusing 8 different genres of dances to suit the music and has succeeded in the attempt. The team has carefully chosen many ingredients to suit the video like people of different races eating South Indian food, dancing together, showing backgrounds of countries and cities where predominant Tamil populations exist.

Ultimately, “Yathum Oore Anthem” is a hauntingly beautiful track, which doesn’t just showcase the passion behind the work of these musicians, but also their deep respect for timeless musical traditions. From the unique mix of great melodic layers and engaging structures, down to the immediacy of the sound, this release channels a various range of influences to perfection, resulting in a balanced, diverse and exciting tone that will certainly please a very broad audience.

Composer Rajan is leading an effort to create a music album with Durham Symphony for 7 Sangam era poems. He’s reachable at the following email id for any additional information or support. ComposerRajan@gmail.com

Please spread this as a news to support IATR and FETNA conference.