Mrs. Jayashree Athavale–Talwalkar

(Affectionately called ‘Didiji’ – pronounced ‘deedeejee’)

of Tatvajnan Vidyapeeth, Thane, India

 

Mrs. Jayashree Talwalkar is the daughter and spiritual heir of Pandurang Shastri Athavale (Dada), the world acclaimed philosopher, a social scientist, and the founder of the Swadhyay (pronounced ‘swaadhyaay’) Parivar (meaning family).  She is the loving sister of millions of people, and the leader of “Silent but Singing” Swadhyay movement, currently in progress in India and Globally in all six continents including the United States and Great Britain.

 

Revered Pandurang Shastri Athavale and Swadhyay – Affectionately called as ‘Dada’, started a contemporary movement that has transformed the lives of millions of individuals around the world through his preaching based upon the principles of Indwelling God that bind ALL OF US - Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and others, the rich and the poor, the literates and the illiterates, the haves and the have-nots, the empowered and the powerless - TOGETHER.  Dadaji developed the idea that all human beings are related having all been created by God.  It follows then that humanity is “one family, above and beyond every difference and distinction.”  The swadhyay family is not a sect, nor a cult, nor an institution or form of organized religion.  It could be better defined as a life-style, as an attitude of one’s soul.  For 83 years, he lived a life that preached we are children of ONE GOD and together we can realize the inherently coherent and harmonious humankind.  Dadaji was awarded 1996 Magasyasya Award for “Community Leadership” and also 1997 Templeton Prize for “Progress in Religion”  Dada’s philosophy and thinking, urge and drive, passion and effort, and love and sensitivity are imbibed in Didiji, who is now leading and taking care of a family of approximately 50 million all over the world.

 

 

A Summary of Didiji’s Contributions to the Advancement of Humankind

 

q         1976 ¾ At the age of 20, conducted the first “Geetatrayah” – a three-day overview of Bhagvad Geeta - reciting, translating and explaining applied philosophy of "Bhagvad Geeta - Divine Song of the Lord Krishna".  Since then she has conducted numerous Geetatrayh, in which millions of people around the world have listened to her.

 

q         1991 ¾ Presented Aadi Sankaracharya’s “Advait Philosophy” to members of the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

 

q         1993 ¾ Represented India in the World Religious Conference held in Chicago, Illinois.

 

q         1995 ¾ Presented a plenary talk during the Conference on ‘Hunger and Poverty’ in Brussels, Belgium.

 

q         2000 ¾ Officially accepted day-to-day responsibility of Swadhyay activity under the guidance of Revered Dadaji and planned a largest birthday celebration in the whole world, a gathering of more than 1.8 million people on the banks of river Narmada at Bharuch, Gujarate, India.

 

q         2001 ¾ Awarded “The Lokshikshak Award” by Apte Guruji Smarak Trust, India for ‘invaluable work of awakening the masses and educating them untiringly.’


q         2002 ¾ Leaders of the world's major faiths, including Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Christianity, came together to express their commitment to improving the lives of children in a symposium organized by the New York-based World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP). During her speech, Aadarniya Didiji said “Every child is a gift from God and every child has a touch of divinity”.

 

q         2002 ¾ Aadarniya Didiji was the only invitee to represent Hinduism to speak at the World Conference on Peace, organized by Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue in Assisi, Vatican by His Holiness, The Pope.  Didiji said “Not only I am divine in essence, but also every one else is equally divine in essence, and that is what unites us to each other under the Fatherhood of God.

 

q         2005 - As a Council Member of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children, Arigatou Foundation, Geneva, Didiji provided an introductory speech to open debate on the role of religious people or religions in ethics education.  Didiji concluded her speech by saying that we as people of religion should strive to inculcate among the young a sense of human dignity and sustainable development in ways that seems to be most effective in our respective contexts.  The Arigatou Foundation works for the safe and sound development of children all over the world.

 

q         2005 Good Friday – Didiji said that as explained by Dadaji, the divine power who gave moral orders to millions of people; who showed them the path of devotion & who showered utmost love on them cannot be anybody else but Godliness Personified.  Rev. Dadaji, an icon of selfness love & selfless work and Jesus Christ appear to be closely related.  We believe that Rev. Dadaji has paid homage to Lord Jesus Christ by spreading selfless love amongst all in the society transcending all barriers that separate man from man.

 

 

 
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