Kamlesh D. Patel
Born 28 September 1956 · Gujarat
Leading Shri Ram Chandra Mission as its president since 2014, promoting Sahaj Marg spiritual practice worldwide.
🔔 Add birthday reminderKamlesh D. Patel also known as Daaji among his followers, is a spiritual leader, author and the fourth in the line of Rāja yoga masters in the Sahaj Marg system of spiritual practice. He has been the president of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, a non-profit organization founded in 1945 and associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information, since 2014.
✨ A detail that surprised us
Kamlesh D. Patel maintained a successful pharmaceutical career in New York City while simultaneously rising through the ranks of the Shri Ram Chandra Mission.
1. In 1976, while a pharmacy student in Ahmedabad, Kamlesh D. Patel began practicing Sahaj Marg Raja Yoga meditation under Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, marking his first step into spiritual leadership.
2. 🌍 After graduating with honors from L M College of Pharmacy in 1980, Patel moved to New York City, where he built a pharmaceutical business while continuing his spiritual practice.
3. In 1983, following the mahasamadhi of his first Guru Babuji, Patel became a disciple of Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari (Chariji), deepening his role in the Shri Ram Chandra Mission.
4. 🎤 In October 2011, Patel was nominated as Chariji's successor and took on the presidency of Shri Ram Chandra Mission after Chariji’s death in December 2014, becoming the spiritual guide of the Sahaj Marg system.
5. 📚 Between 2018 and 2025, he authored and co-authored multiple books, including The Heartfulness Way (2018) and Spiritual Anatomy (2023), expanding the reach of Heartfulness meditation literature globally.
6. In 2023, Patel was awarded the Padma Bhushan, acknowledging his distinguished service in the field of spirituality and meditation in India.
7. 🌐 In 2024, he was named Global Ambassador of Peacebuilding and Faith by the Commonwealth and granted the Freedom of the City of London, linking his spiritual leadership with international peace initiatives.
8. ❓ How has Kamlesh D. Patel’s blend of Eastern spiritual traditions and Western scientific education influenced modern meditation practices worldwide?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Padma Bhushan
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1976, while still a pharmacy student in Ahmedabad, Patel encountered Sahaj Marg meditation, a detail that shaped his simultaneous careers in pharmacy and spirituality.
🖼️ Through the Years
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📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
"As we move higher and higher, the need to be recognised becomes less and less, until we become one with infinity and dissolve in infinity and become infinity."
— Kamlesh D. Patel
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
With #daaji | Padma Bhushan Kamlesh D. Patel | Spirituality, Meditation & Life
YouTube📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Kamlesh D. Patel’s leadership transformed Shri Ram Chandra Mission into a globally recognized spiritual organization, linking Raja Yoga meditation with modern wellness practices. His authorship of key Heartfulness books and international workshops helped popularize meditation across diverse cultures, influencing spiritual seekers and youth worldwide. His recognition by the Indian government and international bodies reinforced meditation's role in peacebuilding and mental health.
💬 Social Buzz
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