At Shantivan, Abu Road, a spiritual institution that has quietly shaped the inner lives of millions across 110-plus countries marked a landmark Saturday — and Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was there for the opening moment. The Brahma Kumaris global summit, convened on 24 October 2026 to celebrate nine decades of the organisation's founding, opened its inaugural session with the minister as a participant.

A theme built for the moment: 'Spiritual Awakening for World Reconstruction'

The summit's chosen theme — 'Vishwa Navnirman ke liye Aadhyatmik Jagrati' ('Spiritual Awakening for World Reconstruction') — sets a deliberately expansive frame for the proceedings. Shekhawat described the gathering as one 'illuminating the promotion of peace, harmony, positive thinking and human values.' The event also featured a felicitation of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society, which the minister called 'a meaningful effort to carry these values forward.'

Nine decades of Raja Yoga — and a footprint that spans the globe

Founded in 1936–37, the Brahma Kumaris organisation began in what is now Sindh and eventually rooted its global headquarters at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Its central campus, Shantivan at Abu Road, has grown into one of India's largest spiritual conference venues, regularly hosting tens of thousands of practitioners and delegates. The institution's twin pillars — Raja Yoga meditation and a values-based social service ethic — have carried its reach across more than 110 countries, making it one of India's most globally recognised spiritual exports.

Culture Ministry's long pattern of engaging established spiritual bodies

Shekhawat's presence at the inaugural session is consistent with a well-established practice: senior ministers, particularly from the Culture portfolio, attend milestone events of large-scale spiritual movements to signal the state's alignment with peace and value-education initiatives. The Brahma Kumaris, with their non-partisan, non-political character and significant international presence, have long attracted cross-party engagement from Indian governments. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has shown interest in weaving spiritual destinations into India's broader tourism and soft-power narrative — and a 90-year institution headquartered in Rajasthan, the minister's home state, sits squarely at that intersection.

For an organisation that has spent nine decades teaching stillness in an increasingly restless world, the summit's ambition is anything but small. The question now is whether the ministry's participation translates into tangible support — for spiritual tourism circuits, value-education collaborations, or something else entirely.