Born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, in May 1956, the future Sri Sri Ravishankar is said to have started practicing deep meditation at the age of three. It is said he could recite the Bhagavad Gita at the age of four.

By the time he was 17, he was a scholar of Vedic literature. He conceived the Art of Living course in 1982, when he was about 26.

The Art of Living Foundation is now the largest voluntary organisation in the world, with over 25,000 volunteers.

The volunteers serve the organisation in several capacities -- Yuvacharyas, teachers, organisers etc.

The organisation says it has touched and changed more than four million lives, including terrorists, prisoners, villagers, youth, professionals, businessmen, leaders and others.

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