Manu Singh
Manu Singh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Manu Singh 21 May 1983 |
| Occupation(s) | Environmentalist, social activist, Interfaith activist, Meditation Guru |
| Parent(s) | Anoop Singh and Indu Bala |
Manu Singh (मनु सिंह ) is an environmentalist[1] and a social justice and peace activist.[2] He is a well known spiritual trainer, experimenting with a variety of meditative techniques, and a renowned interfaith practitioner.[3] Currently he is the Chief Mentor of Varenyum, an organisation that focusses on inculcating a meditative lifestyle and ensuring holistic well-being. He is also a columnist who writes on Holistic living, Eco-spirituality and Meditative living [4][5][6]
Early life
[edit]Mr. Singh was born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on 21 May 1983 to Anoop Singh and Indu Bala. He completed his schooling from Riverdale High School, Dehradun. He pursued higher education from Jawaharlal Nehru University.[7]
Career
[edit]Meditation Guru
[edit]Manu Singh is a meditation and mindfulness expert, who teaches meditative living using a plethora of eastern techniques. His method is unique as he combines scientific aptitude and decantative spiritual wisdom.[5] He emphasises on holistic wellbeing, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and beyond. His idea of mindfulness and meditation is not limited to time or space, rather his idea of evolving focuses on encapsulating everything that is within and around oneself.[8]
Mr Singh has propounded that the most dangerous form of pollution is pollution of human consciousness and not air, water, soil or noise. In his theory the entire world is a vast ocean of conscious interconnectedness, where every particle resonates and oscillates with the entire ocean and itself. All living entities as conscious and vibratory beings are not separate from this ocean, but when we overtly invest in our egos, we develop an illusion of separateness. This illusion leads us onto the path of disconnection from this conscious interconnectedness and we turn into a contaminant, a toxin for this entire creation.[5]
According to him Health is a way of living, a state of existence that encompasses everything from one’s relationships, career, physical and mental activities and spiritual practises. Above all, health and happiness are in a unified marriage, and one cannot function in the absence of the other.[8]
Eco spirituality
[edit]Mr Manu Singh claims that the entire existence is an interconnected web and the pollution of one's own consciousness leads to the disruption of everything around us. The solution according to him is to address this pollution of our consciousness which arises out of the overfeeding the human ego is to invest mindfully in eco-centrism: a way of life that recognizes and respects the life and sentience in every vibratory particle of the entire multiverse. Once this realization is inculcated, humans develop the forces of Satva through which they can download the deep love and compassion embedded within the entire cosmos and lead an integral life of Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Karuna (Compassion), Satvikta (Simplicity), and Aparigraha (renunciation).[6]
His techniques inclusively focus on the well-being of every living being intending to promote a sustainable living rather than an anthropocentric approach towards life. He even suggests that nations should join forces for the greater good of the ecosystem, for cleaner energies, and reduction in deforestation. He emphasises that the pandemic (COVID-19) was a result of our current lifestyle and that we must radically and consciously alter it.[6]
Environmentalism
[edit]Mr. Singh has been vocal about the issues that need immediate attention and has forthrightly condemned the development narrative when needed for its lack of sustainable planning. He has also been the panelist on many news platforms.[9] He has taken various sessions on climate change and its effects, time and again he has drawn the attention of youth towards the interconnectedness of nature and has been promoting sustainable living for all. His scientific temper and in-depth understanding of the history of earth and humanity shapes way for his audience to connect to his cause.[10]
Mr Singh has been extremely critical of the meat industry and he has elaborate sessions that encourage people to adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, both for personal well-being and for the well-being of the planet.[11]
Interfaith Harmony
[edit]Manu Singh founded the NGO – Sarva Dharma Samvaad Archived 26 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine in 2008[12] to work towards harmony among various religions in India. The concept of Sarva Dharma Samvaad was to work on a common minimum programme, with leaders of various faiths to crusade against several social ills. He partnered with the United Nations, URI, HWPL, Art of Living and KAICIID, organising conventions and programmes centered around interfaith dialogue in India. Through Sarva Dharma Samvaad He has conducted several workshops and trainings focussing on media and information literacy, advocacy trainings and workshops, methodological workshops at various platforms and levels, partnering with several organizations.[13][14][15]
He convened the Sarva Dharm Sansad in 2008 inviting leaders of various religions on a common platform with the agenda to come together and work together for social amelioration.[16][17] He also directed a socio- spiritual talk show titled Vichar Manthan on Lok Sabha TV, which brought about several experts from the civil society to discuss on the various social problems and their respective solutions and then also anchored and directed a TV show on similar lines titled Ved Manthan on Sadhna TV.[18]
Social Movements
[edit]He has been honorary consultant of Bandha Mukti Morcha, an internationally acclaimed NGO working against bonded labors in the India and a convener of Anupam Sarva Sewa Samiti which is working in kumaon (uttarakhand) for the upliftment of the hilly people.[19]
Singh served as the media secretary and chief of the youth wing of the World Council of Arya Samaj, an organisation distinct[20] from Dayananda's Arya Samaj[21] He has been instrumental in organizing various events, and religious and cultural programs against Beef, drugs and Alcohol through the World Council of Arya Samaj.
He was one of the initial members of the India Against Corruption movement and remained an active participant until the movement transformed from one of social betterment to a movement of attaining political power. His powerful poetry recitation and speeches were very famous amongst the crowd.[22]
He worked with several social activists as a mediator for the release of 5 Policemen who were abducted by maoists in Chhattisgarh on Feb.11, 2011. During this mission of mediation He had to walk through several miles of the dangerous Bastar forests in the so-called Liberated maoist zones[23][24][25][26]
He has been an animal rights activist and involved in promoting compassion and care for all living creatures. He also organised campaigns to ban slaughter of animals in the name of religion and for promoting vegetarianism. He was actively involved in the movement to ban the Gadhimai animal sacrifice in Nepal and also has been instrumental in saving camels during the Eidul Adha sacrifices.[11][27] He raised voice against slaughterhouses in Gurgaon and animal slaughter in Gandhimai in Nepal.[26] His session titled Varenyam encourages youth for adopting a lifestyle that causes minimum suffering to animals and also helps protect the environment.[10] Varenyam has received great support from eminent sportspersons like ace badminton player Saina Nehwal, wrestler Rajeev Tomer and UFC champion and Hollywood star Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Jonty Rhodes etc.
Other activities
[edit]He was part of the jury for Hult Prize in India, given by an institution under the patronship of former US President Bill Clinton;[28]
References
[edit]- ^ Live, APN (5 June 2018). ""Eco issues need to come into our everyday culture" – APN Live". APN Live. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Disaster Law: Can Laws make communities safer from disasters?" (PDF). Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Who we are". www.sdsamvaad.org. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Mindfulness and Meditation: 5 Ways to Keep Calm During a Pandemic". Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "Eco-spirituality the Pathway to a Meaningful Life | GlobalSpa - Beauty, Spa & Wellness, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Online". 4 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "A new lease of life?".
- ^ "Fsi_guestFaculty". Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Holistic Health For Mind & Body: 5 Pillars To Maintain Holistic Health, And Its Importance - Onlymyhealth". 21 August 2020.
- ^ "Economic issues need to come into our everyday culture". Archived from the original on 27 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Varenyam: A discussion on Climate Change". 23 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Benefits of Vegetarianism". YouTube.
- ^ "Interfaith Foundation India". interfaithfoundationindia.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "UNESCO-LED NATIONAL CONSULTATION ON MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Trainings".
- ^ "Striking the right chord between the environment, social inclusion and religion: Samvaad | URI - United Religions Initiative".
- ^ "सामाजिक कुरीतियों के खिलाफ धर्मगुरूओं का 'न्यूनतम साझा कार्यक्रम'" (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "धर्मगुरुओं ने की 'न्यूनतम साझा कार्यक्रम' बनाने की पहल". Zee News Hindi. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "VED MANTHAN". YouTube.
- ^ "Who we are - SDS". Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Long, Jeffery D. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Hinduism. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-2294-5.
- ^ "Pragya Singh Thakur subjected to third degree torture: Swami Agnivesh". Zee News. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Anna Hazare Inspiring Poem". YouTube.
- ^ "Happenings- Utsah Toli". utsahtoli.org. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Naxals set to release 5 abducted cops in Chhattisgarh on Feb 11". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Maoists release five abducted cops in Chhattisgarh". The Indian Express. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Meet Manu Singh- Combining the power of Youth and Inter Faith Dialogue – Delhi Now". Delhi Now. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "International Day For Peace- Live in Peace not in Pieces". Facebook.
- ^ "Events". Ashoka University. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.