Osho Chair Inauguration Ceremony
Osho Sangham USA has been diligently working over the past few years to establish an Endowed Osho Chair at Shri M K S Bhavnagar University in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. This initiative is part of a broader effort to disseminate Osho’s educational vision and make meditation accessible to mainstream students. The proposal for the chair received approval through the support of the university’s visionary officials, including Vice Chancellor Dr M M Trivedi, Dr Girish Patel, Prof Dr Satish Sharma, Prof Dr Bharat Bhatt, and other esteemed professors. The Shri M K S Bhavnagar University boasts a student body of over 225,000, with approximately 56,000 new enrollees each year, and has a network of 32 affiliated colleges.
On January 4, 2024, a conference titled ‘Yoga and Meditation: Today’s Need for Youth’ was held at the University to celebrate and raise awareness about the establishment of the Endowed Osho Chair. The Atal Auditorium was filled to above capacity with over 950 students and Osho Lovers.
The conference was presided by Vice Chancellor Dr M M Trivedi, with keynote speaker Prof Usha Sharma. Joining them on stage were Dr Girish Patel, former VC; Dr Bhavesh Jani, Registrar; Dr Subhash Sharma, Osho Chair Coordinator; Dr Hetal Mehta, Dr Gadhvi, Dr Kanaparthy, Dr Gohil, and trustees of Osho Sangham USA – Ma Prem Nirdhum, Sw Raman Bharti,and Sw Prem Samarpan.
The atmosphere was charged with emotion as Osho followers and sannyasins felt as though history was being made, with Osho’s vision being accepted into the mainstream for the first time. Prof Usha Sharma led the attendees in singing Osho’s kirtans, and sannyasins danced joyfully to the song ‘Osho Mere Meet Re’. The palpable atmosphere of love and happiness engaged the students, who actively participated and thoroughly enjoyed the event.
With the establishment of the Endowed Chair, the University also approved two credit courses on Meditation. Prof Usha Sharma explained how students could benefit from learning meditation techniques, designed to promote self-awareness, relaxation, and inner peace. The syllabus covers topics such as the nature of meditation, meditation techniques, transitioning from mind to heart, heart centering, prayer and meditation, and the benefits of meditation.
Sw Raman Bharti discussed the benefits of meditation and demonstrated a simple meditation technique. Ma Nirdhum spoke about Osho’s perspective on women, while Sw Samarpan shared plans to provide a set of Osho’s Gujarati books to the colleges.
At the conclusion of the conference, psychology students were invited to voluntarily participate in Kundalini Meditation, led by Sw Raman Bharti. Many students and professors took part, experiencing Kundalini Meditation for the first time in the foyer of the university auditorium.
Following the conference, the University officials and the Osho Sangham team attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a computer lab where Osho’s discourses will be accessible.
The team also had the opportunity to meet and experiment with small meditation techniques with about 200 students and faculty members of Government Arts College, Palitana. Given Palitana’s status as a Jain pilgrimage site, meditation is a natural fit for its residents and students.
Lastly, a small program was arranged at Shri Shamaldas Mehta Arts College, Bhavnagar, where the team met with around 300 students and faculty members.