SENIOR BJP leader Shri LK Advani lauded the great American Vedic scholar David Frawley, popularly known as Vamdev Shastri, who has expertise in Yoga and Ayurveda and heads the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Shri Advani felicitated the American scholar on his 60th birthday along with BJP MP Chandan Mitra and RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale at senior party leader Shri M Venkaiah Naidu’s residence in New Delhi on September 22. The function was organised by India Foundation.
Lauding the work of Shri David Frawley, Shri Dattatreya said Shri Frawley has made great contribution to the Hindu thoughts. “He is a saint, scholar, teacher and interpreter of the Vedas,” Shri Dattatreya added.
He lauded Frawley for telling to the world, the values and concepts propounded by Hinduism, valid not only for Hindus but the universe.
The function was attended by many senior RSS and BJP leaders including Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh Shri Madan Das, senior Pracharak Shri Madhubhai Kulkarni, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya, National Executive Member Shri Ram Madhav, Shri Bal Apte, Lt. Gen. (retd) Shri Jacob, Dr Mahesh Sharma and many others.
During the function Lt. Gen (Retd) Jacob recalled his first encounter with the RSS during the 1971-Bangladesh Liberation War. Commendable service of the RSS workers then for the rehabilitation of the refugees and the Army Personnel made him eternally fond of the Sangh, he said.
Meeting Frawley reminded Shri Advani of many western celebrities who once after coming in touch with any Hindu become passionate devotees of Hinduism and India. He cited the examples of Anglo-Irish social worker Margaret Elizabeth Noble, who after meeting Swami Vivekananda in 1895 in London, came to India and changed name to Nivedita and started working for the Ramakrishna Mission. He cited the examples of Madeleine Slade who left her home in England to live and work with Mahatma Gandhi and devoted time teaching girls in India. Similarly, Annie Besant, a women’s right’s activist and Theosophist, travelled to India in 1898 and became involved in politics and the activities of the Indian National Congress and was even elected its President in 1917. Shri Frawley, who works with Dr Deepak Chopra and Dr David Simon, has written many books. His latest work is Universal Hinduism: Towards a New Vision of Sanatana Dharma.
(FOC)
