On March 13th, the BRICS International Forum hosted “VISION FOR THE FUTURE 2020: International Dialogue - Humanitarian Cooperation for World Peace and Sustainable Development Goals,” at Vigyan Bhawan, the premier Government of India convention centre, in New Delhi. The forum also opened a year-long initiative to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Indian regional president of BRICS, Mrs. Purnima Anand, and Mr. A. Senapati, the director of Bhaarat Aaj (India Today) Media, gave a warm welcome to the delegates who had flown in from all over the world in spite of numerous complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Special guests from the Government of India included, Ramdas Athawale, Honorable Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, and Raghuraja Singh, Honorable State Minister of Labor and Employment. Deepak Singh, director of the NRI Welfare Society of India and owner of The Indian Observer media group, represented the Indian diaspora. In addition to delegates from the BRICS nations, other notable guests included Armenian ambassador, Artur Khachatriyan, and Mr. G. Subramaniam of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce.

Sri Prem Prayojan was welcomed as the guest of honour for the conference and invited to make the opening speech. After invoking auspiciousness by reciting Sanskrit prayers from the Rg Veda, Sri Prem Prayojan explained that society cannot prosper if it has no higher guiding principle than the pursuit of economic development. Sanatana dharma, the eternal wisdom tradition of India proposes that the purpose and perfection of life for every person in every walk of life is to please the Supreme Lord. When the root of a tree is watered, the benefit is distributed to every leaf and flower. Similarly, by serving Bhagavan (God), the root of all existence, all living beings derive the greatest benefit

The essential religious practice (dharma) for the present era is Hari-nama Sankirtana – congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Praising the Holy Names of God in song is a universal principle observed by the saints of all faiths. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian Nation, personally taught this principle to the world by his own example. Upon receiving the assassin’s bullets, he lovingly called out “O Rama!” with his final breath.

Sri Prem Prayojan suggested two initiatives for uplifting the consciousness of the younger generation and ensuring a brighter future:

1) Daily recitation and study of verses of the Bhagavad-gita to be introduced to the national school curriculum, and
2) Sankirtana to be performed for fifteen minutes daily before classes begin in all Indian schools.

Finally, Sri Prem Prayojan, presented a master plan for the complete renovation of the Holy City of Vrndavan designed by international civil engineers on behalf of the environmental action group, Braj Vrndavan Act Now. The master plan included proposals for traffic management and pedestrianization of the historical town of Vrndavan, reforestation, waste management, and the reduction of air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution.

All proposals were received with enthusiasm by the government ministers of the cabinet of P.M., Narendra Modi. They expressed their support for all efforts to revitalize the national cultural identity based on Sanantan Dharma, India’s eternal wisdom tradition.

After the opening speech by Sri Prem Prayojan, numerous delegates presented their projects for the common welfare of the BRICS countries.

Dr. Alexander Savelov-Deryabin from Russia shared essential research findings in the field of immunology and virology to counteract the coronavirus pandemic. He also presented his groundbreaking discovery of a natural medicine for Indian brahman cows that doubles their lifespan and also doubles their production of milk. He spoke passionately of his hope that this would bring an end to the mistreatment of cows in India and around the world by economically incentivizing cruelty-free dairy production.

Another team of Russian scientists presented a new environmentally friendly technology to transform India’s deserts into fertile farmland. The project has enormous implications for Indian agriculture, employment, and self-sufficiency.
In the field of Cultural Diplomacy, Dr. Lyudmila Sekacheva presented an international educational project on the life histories and teachings of five prominent philosophers representing each of the BRICS countries. Dr. Lyudmila Sekacheva directs a research centre at the historical home of Leo Tolstoy. She has published a fascinating exchange of handwritten letters between Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi in which they share their spiritual realizations and ideas for the upliftment of society.

Overall, the diversity of projects demonstrated the possibility of a harmonious coexistence within the international community by finding a healthy balance of priorities in regard to spiritual matters and practical worldly matters. Delegates from all over the world were united in good faith and an optimistic spirit of peace and brotherhood.

An unexpected and unique feature of this conference was that several speakers began to echo the ideals expressed in the speech of Sri Prem Prayojan.

Mr. G. Subramaniam of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, while sharing his presentation on the international export market for Indian medicines, somehow found himself wandering onto the subject of the importance of Hari-nama Sankirtana. Raghuraja Singh, Honorable State Minister of Labor and Employment, somehow found himself emphatically defending the selfless devotion between Sri Krsna and the gopis of Vrndavan as an exemplar for all to follow.

In the grand finale of the forum, Sri Prem Prayojan was presented with the Mahatma Gandhi Award and honoured with the title “Mahatma Sri Prem Prayojan” by the Ministers of the Indian Government, and Deepak Singh, director of NRI Welfare Society of India. Maha means "great," and atma means "soul". So the title is translated variously as "great soul" or "broad-minded personality." As rose petals showered down, acclaimed Indian artist, Sri Raja, also unveiled an iconic portrait of Sri Prem Prayojan, commissioned by BRICS International Forum especially to mark the event.

After thanking all the delegates for their stellar contributions, the organizers affectionately requested “Mahatma” Sri Prem Prayojan to conclude the forum with a traditional Sanskrit prayer and kirtana – “Govinda bolo Hari Gopala bolo. Radha-ramana Hari Govinda bolo” and Maha-mantra. All present were deeply moved by the harmony of voices, which epitomized a harmony of nations, and a further harmony of hearts with the one underlying Divine reality, Sri Krsna.

This historical conference set a new standard, wherein a high-profile political event became truly spiritualized. All participants expressed their desire for further international collaboration to continue to expand upon the spirit established at the conference.

Report by Madhavi Dasi, Chaitanya Academy Media Team.