Kamlesh D Patel

Kamlesh D. Patel, known as Daaji, is the guide of the Heartfulness movement and the third president of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. He is the fourth teacher in the line of the Sahaj Marg system of meditation, which the citation says is practised by millions of people in more than 160 countries ^[2]. He was named for the Padma Bhushan in 2023, from Telangana ^[1].

Pharmacist and meditator

Patel was born on 28 September 1956 in rural Gujarat and was drawn to both science and spirituality from an early age ^[2]. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacy, with honours, in 1980 ^[2]. As a student he took up Sahaj Marg meditation in 1976 and met his teacher, known as Babuji Maharaj, in 1977 ^[2]. He then moved to New York, where he built a chain of pharmacies while taking a growing part in the movement ^[2].

Leading Heartfulness

He became the spiritual head of Heartfulness on 20 December 2014 ^[2]. Under him the movement has started online classes, a mobile app that links people with trainers anywhere, and large meditation events in India and abroad, as well as sessions in schools, offices, hospitals and the armed forces ^[2].

He developed Kanha Shanti Vanam, the movement’s international headquarters, which the citation describes as the largest meditation centre in the world ^[2]. He has also set up a yoga academy and a tree conservation centre there ^[2].

He has written three books, The Heartfulness Way, Designing Destiny and The Wisdom Bridge, and received an honorary doctorate from Sri Venkateswara University in 2018 ^[2].