THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Navajyothi Sri Karunakara Guru’s teachings are focused on transcendental spirituality and are essential for forging human unity, former President Ram Nath Kovind has said. He was speaking after inaugurating the 97th Navapoojitham celebrations of Santhigiri Ashram at Pothencode near Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
Kovind remembered Karunakara Guru as a mahaguru who dedicated his life to bringing peace, harmony, and spiritual awakening to the world. Guru established a centre of spiritual renaissance based on humanism through his journey of life in search of self-realisation. The continuity of his spiritual guidance is made possible by those who come to see him receive the advice and teachings imparted by the guru through Gurusthaniya Shishyapoojita Amritha Jnana Thapaswini. The former president said that all the values upheld by the guru should be a light for the coming generations.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was the chief guest at the function presided over by Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil. The governor said that Santhigiri Ashram is a centre that fulfils the guru’s saying that the ‘Word is Truth, the Truth is the Guru, and the Guru is God’.
VKL & Al-Namal Group Chairman Varghese Kurian was honoured at the event for his contribution to business relations between India and the Middle East. The Navapoojitam souvenir was also released at the event.
AI school launched
Kovind announced that Santhigiri Vidya Bhavan has become the state’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) High Tech School and will provide free civil service training to 100 students. Vedic Academy presented Onakkodi to the former president and the governor.
Former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, Ashram president Swami Chaitanya Jnana Thapasvi, general secretary Swami Gururatnam Jnana Thapasvi, director Swami Navananma Jnana Thapasvi, Manickal grama panchayat president Kutirakulam Jayan, MG University former vice-chancellor Dr Babu Sebastian, Sindooram Charities chairman Sabir Tirumala, Dr K N Shyama Prasad, Bharatiya Janata Party District Treasurer M Balamurali and National Minority Commission Panel Board member George Sebastian were present at the event.