Over 500 dignitaries and well-wishers attended the grand event celebrating Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’slast book, ‘Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with PramukhSwamiji’. The event was graced by Sheikh Shri Kanaksi Khimji, Shri Bakulbhai Mehta, Shri Ashwinbhai Dharamsey Nensey, Shri Anilbhai Khimji, Shri Kiranbhai Asher, Shri Rohitbhai Patel and many other respected guests.
The event featured a stirring animation presentation describing the stories of two boys – a boatman’s boy who became a scientist and the 11th President of India, and a farmer’s boy who became the president of BAPS and a world-renowned spiritual leader.
Brahmavihari Swami delivered a thought-provoking Keynote Address in which he urged people not to neglect the development and nurturing of their Inner World in the rush and pursuit of the Outer World. He recalled how Dr. Kalam first came to meet Pramukh Swami Maharaj with a plan to develop India – a 5-point program that was envisioned by 500 leading intellectuals after a year of discussion. Immediately, Pramukh Swami pointed out that there was a very important sixth point needed – faith in God. It was a turning point for Dr. Kalam, by his own admission, and changed his approach to development. Brahmavihari Swami also called for everybody to engage with their family and friends lovingly and to give love generously, making “love” a verb and not a noun.
The program included the screening of excerpts from the book and the milestone personal meetings between Dr. Kalam and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Thereafter the guests paid a floral tribute to a photo of the late former president Dr. Kalam as they took their place on dais.
Then, after a video of Dr. Kalam presenting his book to Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Sarangpur on 20 June 2015 was shown, the celebration ceremony of the book took place amid the chanting of Vedic mantras in which the stage guests inaugurated copies of the book and displayed them to the audience.
Signifying the universal relevance of the book, diplomats representing various countries were felicitated and presented a copy of Transcendence.
Sheikh Shri Kanaksibhai and other guests on the daisalso paid glowing tributes to the book and recounted their associations with Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
The event concluded with the singing of the national anthems of Oman and India.