A senior Union minister paused from the highways on Saturday, 26 September 2026, to offer a heartfelt tribute to a spiritual luminary — Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari extended his reverence and warm wishes to Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji on the occasion of his Shashtipurti (60th birthday), marking a milestone deeply honoured in Indian tradition. In his post, Gadkari wrote: 'On the auspicious occasion of the revered Gurudevshri Rakeshji's Shashtipurti, I bow to him and offer my heartfelt wishes. His unwavering devotion to Shrimad Rajchandraji and his spiritual practice of linking inner realisation with selfless service has given a new direction to countless lives across the world. His life teaches us that true spirituality is not confined to self-liberation alone, but is the path to the welfare of all humanity. I pray to the Divine that his love, presence and guidance continues to inspire society for eternity.' Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji's Devotion to Shrimad Rajchandraji Shrimad Rajchandraji was a 19th-century Jain philosopher and mystic whose writings centred on self-realisation and a non-sectarian approach to spiritual practice — he is also remembered as a formative spiritual guide to Mahatma Gandhi. Gurudevshri Rakeshji has built his mission on that lineage, translating its introspective teachings into an active model of humanitarian engagement. The institutional home of that mission is the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), based in Dharampur, Gujarat, which runs spiritual retreats, educational programmes, and charitable initiatives that reach communities across India and internationally. Gadkari's post tagged the official @SRMDharampur handle, signalling both personal reverence and public acknowledgment of the organisation's broader reach. Sixty Years and a Philosophy That Travels The Shashtipurti — literally 'the completion of sixty' — carries ceremonial weight in Indian culture, marking the close of a full astrological cycle and the beginning of what is regarded as a phase of ripened wisdom. Gadkari's tribute framed Gurudevshri Rakeshji's six decades not merely as a personal milestone but as a testament to a living philosophy: that authentic spiritual life demands service to humanity, not retreat from it. Indian ministers across party lines regularly extend public greetings for significant religious and spiritual occasions, reflecting personal cultural affiliations. What stands out in Gadkari's message is the philosophical precision — he did not offer generic good wishes but engaged directly with the core idea that separates Gurudevshri Rakeshji's model from quietist spirituality: the insistence that atmakalyan (self-liberation) and sarvakalyan (universal welfare) are the same journey. As SRMD Dharampur marks this milestone, all eyes turn to how the mission channels this moment into its next decade of service.