Archives Timeline Stories
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.”
Offering Melody with Devotion
On 30 June 2003, Chinmaya Swaranjali, the music wing of Chinmaya Mission began its inspiring journey. Guruji’s simple statement, “I sing for the Lord!” became the vision of Swaranjali’s founding team. True to its name, meaning ‘a musical offering to the divine,’ Swaranjali has since grown into a vibrant, devotional movement. Today, its global members, ranging from trained musicians to music enthusiasts, are united in their shared love for bhakti through the motto: Swara to Ishwara.
Fifty Years of Chinmaya Mission
The year 2001 marked 50 years of the Chinmaya Movement that Pujya Gurudev sparked with his first Jnana Yajna in 1951. To celebrate the Swarna Mahotsav (golden jubilee,) Chinmaya Mission commemorated Gurudev’s invaluable contribution to humanity with varied yearlong activities. Then came the finale called Chinmaya Vishwa Sammelan from 24-31 December 2001, in Mumbai. The global Chinmaya family of over 10,000 delegates, inspired with the attitude, “I’m CM - I am Chinmaya Mission,” paid homage to Gurudev with the promise to keep His vision glowing.
Shelters for a Shaken Community
When a massive 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Gujarat on 26 January 2001, Chinmaya Mission adopted Bhavpur village where 2,500 residents were left homeless after 500 houses collapsed. Within a month, the Mission built nearly 500 modular row houses using lightweight, corrugated FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) sheets. This material not only allowed rapid construction but also offered greater safety in future earthquakes.