His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar honored with the prestigious Citizen Extraordinaire Award 2012

Noted humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher, global ambassador of peace and the Founder of ‘The Art of Living’ – His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was today conferred the prestigious Citizen Extraordinaire Award. The Citizen Extraordinaire Award which has earned significant repute over the years is instituted by the Prestige Group in association with Rotary Bangalore Midtown. 

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was accorded this honor by Mr. Irfan Razack, Chairman and Managing Director, Prestige Group, one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs and the man behind modern Bangalore’s most acclaimed landmarks, District Governor Rotarian Nagendra S and Mr. Ramesh Bulchandani - President, Rotary Midtown Bangalore. 

At a time when stress, intolerance and violence have become the order of the day, it is His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision of a stress-free, violence-free society that has resulted in the inception of the internationally acclaimed ‘Art of Living’ - an international, non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization. It’s educational and self-development programs offer powerful tools to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being. Appealing not only to a specific population, these practices have proven effective globally and at all levels of society. His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was therefore, the ideal choice for this venerated award for his immense contribution to society and humanity at large. His list of contributions to the society is endless and his notable achievements include his role as a goodwill ambassador for global concerns and challenges. 

Irfan Razack, Chairman and Managing Director, Prestige Group said, “I cannot think of anyone more suitable than His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for this award, in recognition of his commendable efforts towards bringing peace, unity and harmony in a society plagued with innumerable social concerns. A true humanitarian leader, he has immensely contributed in reviving ancient wisdom as well as creating new techniques towards an individual’s personal and social transformation. His persona today inspires millions towards right living and in contributing to making the world a better place to live in. His overflowing list of recognitions from around the world is also testimony to his immense popularity the world over.” 

The award is instituted by the Prestige Group in association with Rotary Bangalore Midtown to commemorate their commitment to the city of Bangalore and is awarded to the most notable citizen of the city each year to one who has contributed to its overall growth. The award which has been in vogue for over five years now, has been previously awarded to the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri S M Krishna, Shri Jayakar Jerome, BDA Commissioner, Mr. Ramesh and Mrs. Swati Ramanathan of Janagraha, Dr. Devi Shetty, Mr. Narayan Murthy, Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Mr. Nandan Nilekani among others.