Spiritual leader and ISKCON monk Gauranga Das delivered a profound address at IGF London last week, urging global leaders and changemakers to reimagine progress through the lens of Dharma, cultural wisdom, and inner balance.
“Indians across the world are having immense impact in terms of Artha or economy. I stand here to testify that Indians also have a powerful role to play in the transformation of Dharma.”
Defining Dharma as sammaan – or the principle of respect – he addressed the deepening crisis of digital addiction, loneliness, and anxiety.
“We have a huge problem. Globally, 230 million are addicted to social media. In Bharat alone, 70 per cent of teenagers spend seven hours daily online. One in seven people around the world is suffering from mental health issues.”
Sharing his own transformative journey — from an IIT Bombay student to a spiritual teacher – Gauranga Das offered a deeply personal reflection: “I went to IIT in the same batch as [Goodle CEO] Sundar Pichai. Years later, we met, and he said, ‘You look younger than me’. replied, ‘You deal with Google, which creates stress. I deal with God, who releases stress’.”
Highlighting the extraordinary impact of the Indian diaspora, the guru noted: “Today we have 36 million Indians globally. Almost 16 million NRIs, 20 million of Indian origin. Out of the Fortune 500 companies in America, 22 are led by Indian CEOs who employ 1.7 million people and represent a net worth of $1 trillion. More than 60 per cent of hotels in America are owned by Indians, and 72 out of 650 US unicorns are led by Indians.”
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He closed with a tribute to India’s spiritual heritage: “I never imagined I’d wear saffron. But the Geeta changed my life. Our Vedic tradition is an ocean of wisdom, and I’m proud to be part of a movement from technology to transcendence.”
Gauranga Das’ remarks were a part of three-day forum that convened business leaders, policy thinkers, and cultural icons, reminding the world that in forging global partnerships, spiritual and cultural grounding remains essential.
*Info: India Global Forum
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