Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inspires youth on Inner Peace and Drug-Free Living
SRINAGAR: The Higher Education Department (HED), in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services and Sports (YSS), organized a landmark Edu-Youth Meet at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar, focused on combating substance abuse and promoting holistic education.
The event drew an overwhelming participation of over 20,000 students from colleges and universities across Kashmir and featured an enlightening address by Spiritual Leader and founder of The Art of Living Foundation, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The gathering was attended by several MLAs, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Higher Education, Shantmanu, along with Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Directors, Principals, educators, and faculty from various institutions.
Earlier, Gurudev interacted with Vice-Chancellors, Principals, and faculty members, during which the Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST proposed establishing Art of Living Centres on university campuses to help students manage anxiety and stress. Gurudev assured full support from his Foundation, announcing plans to integrate wellness and life-skill programmes as co-curricular initiatives across Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen emotional resilience, mental health, and leadership among students.
Addressing the massive youth gathering, Gurudev emphasized the urgent need to eliminate drug abuse and reimagine education as a journey of love, happiness, and creativity. He urged students to stay rooted in their cultural heritage while embracing innovation, compassion, and purposeful living.
Highlighting the global mental health challenge, Gurudev noted that nearly one-fourth of the world’s population experiences psychological distress. He advocated for mindfulness, meditation, and balanced living as practical remedies. Citing Kashmir’s spiritual traditions, including the Spanda Karika and ancient breathing techniques, he called for their revival within modern education.
Gurudev also proposed setting up SKY Clubs—student-led platforms under The Art of Living—to promote focus, joy, and inner stability among the youth.
In his remarks, ACS Shantmanu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating such transformative programmes across educational institutions to build a stress-free and value-based learning environment.
The event concluded with an interactive session that left students deeply inspired and educators motivated to nurture a peaceful, mindful, and drug-free Kashmir through compassionate, creative, and holistic education.
