HARIDWAR: In a landmark event marking the birth centenary of Mata Bhagyanti Devi Sharma and the centenary of the Akhand Deep, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the ‘Shatabdi Varsh Samaroh 2026’ organized by the All World Gayatri Parivar in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Lighting the traditional lamp, Shah set the tone for a celebration of spiritual revival and social reform.
Shah praised the visionary work of Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya, who connected millions to the Gayatri Mantra, its worship, and sadhana. ‘Now, under Dr. Chinmay Pandya’s leadership, these millions must carry this mission forward with renewed vigor for the next century,’ he urged. Highlighting the couple’s monumental contributions, he noted that over 150 million followers are treading the path of spirituality, with the eternal flame’s centenary being observed today.
The year 1925-26 was pivotal, coinciding with India’s national renaissance and the founding of the RSS. Shah emphasized that those rooted in Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture, and history firmly believe the solutions to global problems lie in Indian traditions. Haridwar, the land of Kumbh and the Saptarishis’ penance, has awakened countless souls through saints’ guidance.
‘Pt. Shriram Sharma chose individual transformation to revive faith, spirituality, and culture,’ Shah said, feeling an ‘unbroken energy and consciousness’ at the Akhand Jyoti Sammelan. In Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, one senses millennia of tapasya. Here, the Sharmas ignited Gayatri energy, breaking barriers like denying women the right to chant the Gayatri Mantra—a rigid custom no one could justify.
Shah lauded this revolutionary step, opening spiritual access beyond caste, community, or gender for universal welfare. Later, alongside CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Baba Ramdev, and Acharya Balkrishna, he inaugurated Patanjali’s Emergency and Critical Care Hospital in Maharshi Dayanand Gram, blending spirituality with modern healthcare.