Archives Timeline Stories
Padma Bhushan Award for Guruji
On 12 April 2016, Guruji Swami Tejomayananda was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan for "distinguished service of a high order" in spiritual and educational work. Guruji received this third highest civilian award from then President Pranab Mukherjee at a Civil Investiture Ceremony in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. With his characteristic humility and devotion, he dedicated the award to Gurudev and Chinmaya Mission.
Birth Centenary Celebrations
The Chinmaya Birth Centenary Celebrations (CBCC) had a sacred, inspiring momentous start on 6 May 2015 in Ernakulam, Kerala. The Chinmaya Jyoti lit by Guruji was placed in the Chinmaya Sandesh Vahini (CSV), a special van that travelled across India carrying Gurudev’s Padukas along with an inspiring exhibition of His vision and mission. On 8 May 2015, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, released special commemorative ₹100 and ₹10 coins featuring the image of Gurudev.
An Inspirational Biopic
To commemorate Gurudev’s birth centenary, the biopic "On a Quest" had its global premiere in Chennai, India, on 15 December 2014. The much-acclaimed film, depicts the life and spiritual transformation of Swami Chinmayananda. Produced by Chinmaya Creations, the film is directed by Chinmaya Vidyalaya alumnus R. S. Prasanna, with guidance and screenplay by Swami Mitrananda.
A Vast Vision Centre
Chinmaya Mangalam, a 143-acre national vision center for North America, was acquired by Chinmaya Mission West (CMW) on 18 August 2014, in Barry, Texas. Set amid expansive wooded surroundings, the well-equipped ranch was envisioned as a hub for national yajnas, spiritual camps, and training programmes. Chinmaya Mangalam can host over 2,000 people and features sustainable design elements, including solar and photovoltaic panels, geothermal wells, and a central biomass furnace.
Scriptural Wisdom Onscreen
Taking Vedantic wisdom on-screen to a wider audience, Guruji Swami Tejomayananda conceptualised Upanishad Ganga, a thought-provoking stream of Upanishadic wisdom. The 52-episode series, was first telecast on India’s national television, Doordarshan, from 11 March 2012 to 24 March 2013. Produced by Chinmaya Creations, the creative wing of Chinmaya Mission, in collaboration with Wisdomtree Productions, the series was directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi. Hinduism Today described the series as "highly professional, with excellent writing, staging, acting, and cinematography."
Self-Discovery through Classical Arts
Chinmaya Naada Bindu, the Mission’s residential academy for Indian classical music and dance, was inaugurated on 13 September 2009. In the presence of Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj was the Guest of Honor. Over 1,100 persons, including over 50 acclaimed artists in the fields of music and dance attended this event. Chinmaya Naada Bindu (CNB)'s students are trained by experts to be the artistic ambassadors of Indian Culture across the world.
Padma Shri Award for Dr. Kshama Metre
It was a proud moment for Chinmaya Mission when the national director of Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD), Dr. Kshama Metre popularly known as “Doctor Didi” received the Padma Shri from the then President of India, Smt Pratibha Patil in 2008 for her phenomenal work in Social Services. Inspired by Gurudev, she began her selfless work in Sidbhari, Himachal Pradesh with mother and child health services through 10 sub-centers and training of 120 nurses in 4 batches.
Chinmaya Vibhooti First Phase Inauguration
The first phase of the Chinmaya Vibhooti project at Kolwan, Pune (India) was inaugurated on 25 December 2005 after the bhumi puja (ground-breaking ceremony) was completed in October 2004. Situated between Mumbai and Pune, Chinmaya Vibhooti is a 65 acre serene, picturesque spot amid the Sahayadri Mountains. Guruji articulated its threefold aim: to offer Vision, Inspiration, and Practice, enabling people to understand the goal and work towards it - making Chinmaya Vibhooti truly a “VIP centre.”
Guruji Receives the “Hindu of the Year” Award
On 11 June 2005, a representative of Hinduism Today honored Guruji with a saffron shawl and a plaque that read: “Presented by Hinduism Today to Hindu of the Year, 2005, Sri Sri Swami Tejomayananda, spiritual leader of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, for fulfilling the vision of his guru, Swami Chinmayananda, guiding the Chinmaya Mission’s exemplary teaching programs, inspiring the dynamic expansion of the monastic order (including new swamis from the diaspora) and teaching hundreds of thousands to be better Hindus.”
Spiritually Equipped Youth - YEP
Launched on 22 September 2003, with the guidance of Swami Mitrananda, Chinmaya Mission Chennai, the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) aspires to spiritually enrich the generations ahead. The global youth wing, Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (CHYK), runs this comprehensive program to produce graduates called Yuva Veers through the motto “Learn. Serve. Grow.” As of 2024, 500 Yuva Veers have graduated from 14 batches with the vision of “being firmly rooted in the timeless wisdom of a glorious past, working towards a grand future.”