Manu Singh

Manu Singh addressing a gathering in an event on interfaith harmony

Manu Singh
Born	Manu Singh 21 May 1983 Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Occupation	Environmentalist, social activist, Interfaith activist, Meditation Guru
Parent(s)	Anoop Singh and Indu Bala

Manu Singh (मनु सिंह ) is an environmentalist^[1] and a social justice and peace activist.^[2] He is a well known spiritual trainer, experimenting with a variety of meditative techniques, and a renowned interfaith practitioner.^[3] Currently he is the Chief Mentor of Varenyum, an organisation that focusses on inculcating a meditative lifestyle and ensuring holistic well-being. He is also a columnist who writes on Holistic living, Eco-spirituality and Meditative living ^[4][5][6]

Early life[]

Mr. Singh was born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on 21 May 1983 to Anoop Singh and Indu Bala. He completed his schooling from Riverdale High School, Dehradun. He pursued higher education from Jawaharlal Nehru University.^[7]

Career[]

Meditation Guru[]

Manu Singh is a meditation and mindfulness expert, who teaches meditative living using a plethora of eastern techniques. His method is unique as he combines scientific aptitude and decantative spiritual wisdom.^[5] He emphasises on holistic wellbeing, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and beyond. His idea of mindfulness and meditation is not limited to time or space, rather his idea of evolving focuses on encapsulating everything that is within and around oneself.^[8] Mr Singh has propounded that the most dangerous form of pollution is pollution of human consciousness and not air, water, soil or noise. In his theory the entire world is a vast ocean of conscious interconnectedness, where every particle resonates and oscillates with the entire ocean and itself. All living entities as conscious and vibratory beings are not separate from this ocean, but when we overtly invest in our egos, we develop an illusion of separateness. This illusion leads us onto the path of disconnection from this conscious interconnectedness and we turn into a contaminant, a toxin for this entire creation.^[5]

Eco spirituality[]

Mr Manu Singh claims that the entire existence is an interconnected web and the pollution of one's own consciousness leads to the disruption of everything around us, while his techniques inclusively focus on the well-being of every living being intending to promote a sustainable living rather than an anthropocentric approach towards life. He even suggests that nations should join forces for the greater good of the ecosystem, for cleaner energies, and reduction in deforestation. He emphasises that the pandemic (COVID-19) is a  result of our current lifestyle and that we must radically and consciously alter it.^[6]

Environmentalism[]

Mr. Singh has been vocal about the issues that need immediate attention and has forthrightly condemned the development narrative when needed for its lack of sustainable planning. He has also been the panelist on many news platforms.^[9] He has taken various sessions on climate change and its effects, time and again he has drawn the attention of  youth towards the interconnectedness of nature and has been promoting sustainable living for all. His scientific temper and in-depth understanding of the history of earth and humanity shapes way for his audience to connect to his cause.^[10] Mr Singh has been extremely critical of the meat industry and he has elaborate sessions that encourage people to adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, both for personal well-being and for the well-being of the planet.^[11]

Interfaith Harmony[]

Manu Singh founded the NGO – Sarva Dharma Samvaad in 2008^[12] to work towards harmony among various religions in India. The concept of Sarva Dharma Samvaad was to work on a common minimum programme, with leaders of various faiths to crusade against several social ills. He partnered with the United Nations, URI, HWPL, Art of Living and KAICIID, organising conventions and programmes centered around interfaith dialogue in India. Through Sarva Dharma Samvaad He has conducted several workshops and trainings focussing on media and information literacy, advocacy trainings and workshops, methodological workshops at various platforms and levels, partnering with several organizations.^[13][14][15]

He convened the Sarva Dharm Sansad in 2008 inviting leaders of various religions on a common platform with the agenda to come together and work together for social amelioration.^[16][17] He also directed a socio- spiritual talk show titled Vichar Manthan on Lok Sabha TV, which brought about several experts from the civil society to discuss on the various social problems and their respective solutions and then also anchored and directed a TV show on similar lines titled Ved Manthan on Sadhna TV.^[18]

Social Movements[]

He has been honorary consultant of Bandha Mukti Morcha, an internationally acclaimed NGO working against bonded labors in the India and a convener of Anupam Sarva Sewa Samiti which is working in kumaon (uttarakhand) for the upliftment of the hilly people.^[19]

Singh served as the media secretary and chief of the youth wing of the World Council of Arya Samaj, an organisation distinct^[20] from Dayananda's Arya Samaj^[21] He has been instrumental in organizing various events, and religious and cultural programs against Beef, drugs and Alcohol through the World Council of Arya Samaj.

He was one of the initial members of the India Against Corruption movement and remained an active participant until the movement transformed from one of social betterment to a movement of attaining political power. His powerful poetry recitation and speeches were very famous amongst the crowd.^[22]

He worked with several social activists as a mediator for the release of 5 Policemen who were abducted by maoists in Chhattisgarh on Feb.11, 2011. During this mission of mediation He had to walk through several miles of the dangerous Bastar forests in the so-called Liberated maoist zones^{[23][24][25][26]}

He has been an animal rights activist and involved in promoting compassion and care for all living creatures. He also organised campaigns to ban slaughter of animals in the name of religion and for promoting vegetarianism. He was actively involved in the movement to ban the Gadhimai animal sacrifice in Nepal and also has been instrumental in saving camels during the Eidul Adha sacrifices.^[11][27] He raised voice against slaughterhouses in Gurgaon and animal slaughter in Gandhimai in Nepal.^[26] His session titled Varenyam encourages youth for adopting a lifestyle that causes minimum suffering to animals and also helps protect the environment.^[10] Varenyam has received great support from eminent sportspersons like ace badminton player Saina Nehwal, wrestler Rajeev Tomer and UFC champion and Hollywood star Randy Couture, etc.

During COVID-19 lockdown[]

Mr. Singh is amongst those who have shown courage and selflessness in helping others during the pandemic. In a bid to fight the menace of COVID-19,  Mr. Singh along with his team of individuals dedicated to the cause of humanity, had undertaken several relief initiatives. One of his most noble initiatives is that he has been taking care of the stray animals that have been very seriously affected because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[28] He has written columns mental and physical wellness especially during the covid to ensure balanced living even during a time of crises. His in-depth knowledge about Yoga and meditation has helped many during this pandemic.

Other activities[]

He was part of the jury for Hult Prize in India, given by an institution under the patronship of former US President Bill Clinton;^[29]

References[]