Kamlesh D. Patel — Global Guide of Heartfulness · Founder of HARI
Daaji — Kamlesh D. Patel · Global Guide of Heartfulness · Founder of HARI
From the founder
Namaste.
HARI is a vision that is close to my heart — the establishment of HARI is India's first greenfield, privately sponsored deemed-to-be university approved by the Government of India under UGC's Distinct Category. This institution is not just an educational endeavour; it is a crucible for the fusion of ancient Indian wisdom with the most advanced modern technologies.
Our aim is to create a unique educational environment where subjects like agriculture, engineering, management, and philosophy are imbued with the timeless knowledge of India's rich cultural heritage. The principles that have guided our civilisation for millennia are not relics of the past — they are living insights into the most pressing challenges of our time.
We recognise the imperative need to embrace modern technology. In fields like agriculture and engineering, we are incorporating data science and artificial intelligence — not only to enhance efficiency and productivity, but to find innovative solutions to the problems that matter most to humanity. Our AI-powered smart farms are built and operated jointly by students of Agriculture and Engineering Sciences, demonstrating HARI's core belief that the most pressing problems of our time yield only to minds trained across disciplines.
We are equally committed to fostering international collaborations in contemporary and futuristic research with top institutions across the globe. Such partnerships enrich our academic environment, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise that make every student at HARI a citizen of the world.
At Kanha Shanti Vanam, we have already demonstrated what this commitment looks like in practice. We built a world-class environment for learning and personal growth — and made it available at no cost to every sincere seeker. That same spirit of openness and generosity is the foundation on which HARI stands.
HARI is proud to establish the Chair for Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev — dedicated to the study and propagation of India's ancient philosophical traditions. It is a symbol of our deepest commitment: that India's civilisational wisdom belongs not in archives, but in active academic life.
Our philosophy is simple yet profound — to nurture individuals who are not only academically accomplished but also morally upright and spiritually awakened. We envision our graduates as leaders who contribute positively to society, guided by a sense of purpose and an understanding of their place in the larger cosmos.
HARI is our commitment to creating a future where education is a harmonious blend of the old and the new — where students are equipped to face the challenges of the modern world while remaining anchored in the wisdom of the past.
I invite you to be part of this endeavour. It is, I believe, a significant milestone in the evolution of higher education — not just in India, but for the world.
Daaji
Kamlesh D. Patel · Global Guide, Heartfulness · Founder, HARI
The founder
Kamlesh D. Patel — known universally as Daaji — is the fourth spiritual Guide in the Heartfulness/Sahaj Marg lineage and the Global Guide of the Heartfulness movement, which is practised by millions of people across 160 countries. Daaji, was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2023. He received this prestigious civilian honor in recognition of his distinguished services of high order in the field of spirituality.
He trained as a pharmacist in Ahmedabad, built businesses in the United States, and has spent decades assembling a global team of scientists to study the physiological and genetic effects of meditation and yogic transmission. He has written internationally acclaimed books and has spoken at the United Nations, at government forums, and to audiences ranging from village schoolchildren to Fortune 500 CEOs.
What makes Daaji uniquely qualified to found this institution is that he has spent his entire life doing exactly what HARI will teach: integrating ancient inner wisdom with contemporary scientific rigour, in real time, at global scale.
4th
Guide in the Heartfulness lineage
160
Countries practising Heartfulness
10
Internationally published works
1945
Shri Ram Chandra Mission founded
The founder's intent
Nurture the whole human being
Beyond employability lies capability — the deeper readiness to navigate life with wisdom, integrity, and a sense of purpose. This is what HARI is built to develop. Daaji's goal is to produce graduates who are academically accomplished, morally grounded, and spiritually awakened — not in a religious sense, but in the sense of knowing who they are, what they stand for, and why it matters.
Prove that regeneration is possible
An expansive campus ecosystem stretching across hundreds of acres — too large to walk across, too alive to ignore. Once barren, rocky scrubland in the outskirts of Hyderabad, Kanha Shanti Vanam is now an IGBC Platinum-rated campus with functioning rainwater harvesting, solar infrastructure, and active research programmes in soil restoration. Daaji built this before building the institution — because he believes you should show what you mean before you say it.
Make India a Vishwa Guru again
Daaji's long-term aspiration is aligned with India's Vikasit Bharat 2047 vision. A developed India, he believes, must offer the world a new educational paradigm — one that fuses the technological prowess of the West with the inner wisdom of the East. HARI is that paradigm made institutional.
A flagship differentiator
HARI is proud to establish the Chair for Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev — dedicated to the study and propagation of India's ancient philosophical traditions. Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev, the first Tirthankar of the Jain tradition, represents one of the oldest and most profound streams of Indian philosophical and spiritual thought. This Chair makes HARI one of the very few institutions in India where ancient philosophical lineages are studied with the same rigour and respect as modern disciplines — alive, relevant, and anchored in academic enquiry.
Bibliography
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Explore the Heartfulness practice woven through HARI, read Daaji's books and teachings, or plan a visit to Kanha Shanti Vanam.