The former Prime Minister and veteran Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Deve Gowda visited the Art of Living centre on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru. At that time, the former Prime Minister met spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The meeting between the veteran political leader and the spiritual teacher took place on the Art of Living campus on Kanakapura Road. Deve Gowda and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar were apparently able to talk in depth, in part because they are both very famous.
H.D. Deve Gowda has been active in Indian politics for many years. From June 1996 to April 1997, he was the 11th Prime Minister of India and was the major player in Karnataka politics before and after that and was associated with the Janata Dal (Secular).
Deve Gowda’s visit to the Art of Living centre is in the context of his ongoing political activities from outside. The former Prime Minister is still active in Karnataka and still considered an important senior leader of the JD(S).
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living organisation with its main international centre on Kanakapura Road near Bengaluru. It organises meditation, yoga, wellness, stress management and social service programmes and initiatives.
The Bengaluru campus regularly draws visitors from all walks of life, including political leaders, public figures and international personalities. Ravi Shankar has also been interacting with leaders from different political and social backgrounds over the years.
During Deve Gowda's last visit to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the former Prime Minister and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had discussions, but no details about what was discussed at the meeting were available. There was also no official indication that the meeting was linked to any political development.
The interaction, however, has attracted interest in Karnataka given Deve Gowda's long-standing political career and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's prominent position in the spiritual and social spheres.
The Art of Living campus on Kanakapura Road is a serene community with all of the facilities needed for spiritual and wellness activities. It has become one of the core centres for the organisation in Bengaluru and hosts visitors throughout the year.
For Deve Gowda, the visit was a chance to meet Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in a different political setting. It was primarily a meeting between two prominent personalities with deep links to Karnataka.
At present, no further information has been released regarding the sort of discussions the former Prime Minister had with the spiritual leader.
The visit comes as Deve Gowda is still very active in Karnataka’s public and political landscape. One of India’s top-ranking politicians, he still participates in a few occasions and is still connected to public life.
The meeting with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Art of Living centre has become a landmark one; a veteran politician and one of India’s most celebrated spiritual figures in Bengaluru.
