Humanitarian

A firm believer in the value of education, Swamiji provided countless scholarships to needy, deserving students. He sponsored many students for higher education opportunities abroad. He established a charitable trust from which many students have received scholarships toward college studies and built and upgraded to degree level a science college near Lansdowne in the Himalayas.Swamiji initiated many other charitable works in India and Nepal, including free schools, dispensaries, a free dispensary for leprosy patients in Kanpur, and KHEL, an organisation that provides education and nutrition to children from leprosy families.

On October 20, 1991 a devastating earthquake struck the foothills of the Himalayas including the Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts, which were the worst hit regions. Hundreds of people were killed, tens of thousands of homes leveled, and major landslides were triggered. Initially there was strong government help for the victims.

Tragically, however, those efforts were soon stalled by red tape and politics. The death toll continued to rise and hundreds of thousands of people were without food, water, medical care, clothing, or shelter from the bitter cold. Swamiji actively organized the relief effort, knocking on every door possible to ensure adequate relief and rehabilitation for the earthquake victims. As a result of Swamiji's efforts, the Central Government provided firm support to bring relief to the victims.

In recognition of his selfless service in India and the United States, as well as around the world, Swamiji has received numerous awards and honors. In 1977 he was honored with the Martin Buber Award for his service to humanity; in 1982 he received the Gandhi Community award. He was invited to participate as a delegate to an international conference of religious leaders traveling to Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, and Warsaw to promote the teachings of inner peace as an expression of peace on a global scale. In 1988, the Shiromani Award was bestowed on him for his service to humanity and in 1989 the Bhai Vir Singh Award was presented to him by Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Vice President of India at that time.

He was a member of the International Platform Association, the International Writers Association of Oxford, England, and the Poetry Society of India. He has also been honored by the Poetry Society of Chicago. He received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award from the NRI Institute in London.