Li Hongzhi

Thanks to http://thextraordinary.org/li-hongzhi

WHY LI HONGZHI IS EXTRAORDINARY

As far as Li Hongzhi is concerned, he’s only answering to a calling. Trained by the masters, according to his hagiography, Li was sent to teach the people the power of Falun Gong, a type of Qi Gong that focuses on healing and has these three tenets as principles—truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. All of his readings and teachings are available online free of charge. Perhaps, that’s what draws people to him and despite of the black propaganda drummed up against him, his organization keeps flourishing.

WHAT IS FALUN GONG?

Falun Gong, according to their website, is:

"… a practice that can remove illnesses, keep people fit and make one live longer. Like tai chi, it's a morning exercise. People practicing Falun Gong are expected to follow the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. And they must speak truthfully, have compassion, be benevolent, be tolerant. But whether people have other faiths or not, they can all practice Falun Gong. We do not get involved in faiths. We respect all of them." (SOURCE: Kenyon.edu)

These teachings appeal to many and have been the main reason why people are drawn to his organization. It’s non-denominational and they accept followers with open arms. This earned Li Hongzhi two Nobel Peace nominations, in 2000 and 2001, respectively. His books were bestsellers and have been translated to over 30 different languages.

In 1996, the city of Houston named Li as an honorary citizen and goodwill ambassador for his "unselfish public service for the benefit and welfare of mankind," while the Freedom House bestowed on him and Falun Gong the International Religious Freedom Award for the advancement of religious and spiritual freedom in 2001. Asiaweek ranked him the most powerful communicator in Asia in the same year and he was nominated for the Sakharov Prize by over 25 members of European Parliament.

His most recent accolade was in 2013 when he was ranked by Foreign Policy Magazine as one of the 500 most powerful people in the world.

10 REASONS WHY LI HONGZHI IS EXTRAORDINARY

1. He developed the Falun Gong, a type of Qi Gong that's anchored on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.
2. The organization has been key to the transformation of the lives of millions of people.
3. His books "Falun Gong" and "Zhuan Falun" became bestsellers and were translated into more than 30 languages.
4. Houston named him as an honorary citizen and goodwill ambassador for his "unselfish public service for the benefit and welfare of mankind."
5. The Freedom House bestowed Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong with an International Religious Freedom Award for the advancement of religious and spiritual freedom.
6. He was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
7. He was ranked the most powerful communicator in Asia by Asiaweek.
8. He was nominated for the Sakharov Prize by over 25 members of European Parliament.
9. He was ranked by Foreign Policy Magazine as one of the 500 most powerful people in the world.
10. He received Honorary Citizenship awarded by The State of Georgia and city of Atlanta.

The Pride of India - Ela Bhatt

Ela Bhatt is the founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in India – a trade union benefiting the poor, which now has more than 1,000,000 members.

Bhatt was a Member of the Indian Parliament from 1986 to 1989, and subsequently a Member of the Indian Planning Commission.

Known as the “gentle revolutionary” she has dedicated her life to improving the lives of India’s poorest and most oppressed women workers, with Gandhian thinking as her source of guidance.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Bhatt/2009560/story.html#ixzz2jHTBcmJl

The Founder and Editor in Chief of China Digital Times

This great article can be found here: http://bestextraordinarypeople.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/xiao-qiang/

WHY XIAO QIANG IS EXTRAORDINARY

Xiao Qiang is an internet activist and professor who is most known for founding China Digital Times, an international Chinese news website that publishes more than one hundred articles and posts daily, including those that are being suppressed and blocked by the digital censors in China’s cyberspace. From time he began as a human rights activist after witnessing the Tiananmen Massacre, Xiao has become one of the most significant figures in the area of Chinese democracy and freedom of information.

For his efforts in helping his fellow countrymen, Xiao has been recognized by many institutions and has received a number of awards and honours for his work. This includes the MacArthur Fellowship, a prestigious honor that is given to people that greatly excel in their field of work; and being profiled in the “Soul Purpose: 40 People Who Are Changing the World for the Better”. These, among the other recognitions given to him prove just how significant Xiao’s work has been all these years.

A HEART FOR HIS COUNTRYMEN AND THE NEXT GENERATION

Xiao has always had a heart for helping his countrymen, and this has been proven in the numerous actions that he has taken to ensure that freedom and democracy prevail in his country in ways that he can. And even though he faces a tremendous amount of opposition from powerful authorities in the Chinese mainland, this does not keep Xiao from persistently publishing all the things that the Chinese people and the world needs to know about the situation in his country.

Xiao places a powerful emphasis on the next generation, and as such works passionately to ensure that the events of the infamous Tiananmen Massacre remain in the memories of the generations to come. The Tiananmen Massacre, for Xiao, represents the unyielding desire of the Chinese people for freedom, and once the young people learn its significance, they will become beacons of hope for a new China where democracy prevails.

As Xiao states in an interview:

“This generation will never forget the memory. It’s deep inside their minds. I know it’s still there, and it’s still in a certain way a drive for a more open China in the coming years. Deep down I believe this generation of the Chinese people are the children of that hope, the hope for a democratic China. While this generation now is becoming more and more successful and important in China’s political and economic life, I think that it’s only increasing the chance for China to become a democratic country.”

Xiao Qiang

Thanks to http://www.thextraordinary.org/xiao-qiang

WHY XIAO QIANG IS EXTRAORDINARY

Xiao Qiang is an internet activist and professor who is most known for founding China Digital Times, an international Chinese news website that publishes more than one hundred articles and posts daily, including those that are being suppressed and blocked by the digital censors in China’s cyberspace. From time he began as a human rights activist after witnessing the Tiananmen Massacre, Xiao has become one of the most significant figures in the area of Chinese democracy and freedom of information.

For his efforts in helping his fellow countrymen, Xiao has been recognized by many institutions and has received a number of awards and honours for his work. This includes the MacArthur Fellowship, a prestigious honor that is given to people that greatly excel in their field of work; and being profiled in the “Soul Purpose: 40 People Who Are Changing the World for the Better”. These, among the other recognitions given to him prove just how significant Xiao’s work has been all these years.

A HEART FOR HIS COUNTRYMEN AND THE NEXT GENERATION

Xiao has always had a heart for helping his countrymen, and this has been proven in the numerous actions that he has taken to ensure that freedom and democracy prevail in his country in ways that he can. And even though he faces a tremendous amount of opposition from powerful authorities in the Chinese mainland, this does not keep Xiao from persistently publishing all the things that the Chinese people and the world needs to know about the situation in his country.

Xiao places a powerful emphasis on the next generation, and as such works passionately to ensure that the events of the infamous Tiananmen Massacre remain in the memories of the generations to come. The Tiananmen Massacre, for Xiao, represents the unyielding desire of the Chinese people for freedom, and once the young people learn its significance, they will become beacons of hope for a new China where democracy prevails.

As Xiao states in an interview:

“This generation will never forget the memory. It's deep inside their minds. I know it's still there, and it's still in a certain way a drive for a more open China in the coming years. Deep down I believe this generation of the Chinese people are the children of that hope, the hope for a democratic China. While this generation now is becoming more and more successful and important in China's political and economic life, I think that it's only increasing the chance for China to become a democratic country.”

A CYBERSPACE WITHOUT CENSORS: THE IMPACT OF XIAO’S WORK

Xiao has led several human rights organizations in the span of his career, including the New York-based Human Rights in China organization and the World Movement for Democracy. Xiao was also significant in the development and facilitation of the Open Net Consensus forum, which created the principles that most international internet companies adhere to today. Xiao’s involvement in promoting free information in the Chinese cyberspace has led to the establishment of the Global Network Initiative.

The impact of Xiao’s work in the lives of many people, not just his fellow countrymen, is truly extraordinary. His dedication to his work of promoting freedom and democracy, whether in cyberspace or in reality, is a true testament to what a person can accomplish when he puts his whole heart into it. Let Xiao be a powerful inspiration for many of us who want to see change, but do not know how to start – whatever is in your hands, whatever you know – when you have the desire, the ideas will follow.

“China has gone through rapid and profound changes. But you cannot understand the full scale of this change without understanding the impact of the Tiananmen massacre. After 1989 Tiananmen, the Chinese Communist Party had an ultimate fear that if the people know the truth and become involved in political activities, that will be the end of the Chinese Communist Party. What we see happening in China is all the business activity being encouraged, including the foreign investment and technologies. We see even Internet and the cell phones and satellite TVs are flourishing in China because that is a business imperative.”

The Bio of Anthony Robbins

#1 Successcoach

For the past three decades, Anthony Robbins is known as the #1 successcoach of the US. He has consulted
international leaders, among which Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela, the former American President Bill Clinton and the former leader of the Soviets Michail Gorbatsjov. He is also a performance coach of top-class sporters like eightfold Grand Slam tennis champion André Agassi, Australia’s best golfer Greg Norman and the Dutch threefold European Champion Boxing and threefold Olympic bronze medal winner Arnold Vanderlyde and many others.
Strategic Advisor to World Leaders:

Robbins has met with, consulted, or advised international leaders and celebrities includingNelson Mandela, Francois Mitterrand, Princess Diana, Sylvester Stallone, Anthony Hopkins, André Agassi and Mother Teresa. He has consulted members of two royal families, members of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marines and three U.S. Presidents, including Bill Clinton. Robbins has had the unique opportunity to identify patterns and model the underlying strategies generating consistent results for some of the most successful individuals in the world.

Anthony Robbins is a recognized authority and America’s top expert on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, personal and organizational turnaround, and peak performance. He has been honored consistently for his strategic intellect and humanitarian endeavors.

His nonprofit Anthony Robbins Foundation provides assistance to inner-city youth, senior citizens, and the homeless, and feeds more than two million people in 56 countries every year through its international holiday “Basket Brigade.”

Great impact

Robbins has directly impacted the lives of more than 50 million people from over 100 countries with his best-selling books, multimedia and health products, public speaking engagements, and live events.

What began as a young person’s desire to help individuals transform the quality of their lives has grown into Robbins’ lifelong crusade as he is called on by leaders from every walk of life—presidents, political leaders, advocates for humanity, CEOs of multinational corporations, psychologists, peak performance athletes, world-class entertainers, teachers, and parents.

Since fathering the life coaching industry, Robbins has produced the #1-selling audio coaching system of all time. He also is a corporate Vice Chairman, and Chairman overseeing five private companies.

Honored

Robbins has been honored by Accenture as one of the “Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the World”; by Harvard Business Press as one of the “Top 200 Business Gurus”; by American Express as one of the “Top Six Business Leaders in the World” to coach its entrepreneurial clients; by Forbes as a Top 100 Celebrity; by Justice Byron White as one of the world’s “Outstanding Humanitarians”; and by the International Chamber of Commerce as one of the top 10 “Outstanding People of World.”
(Source: http://www.tonyrobbins.com)

Bishop Chacour

Found an interesting story about Bishop Chacour here at http://extraordinarypeopleonline.tumblr.com/

ACHIEVEMENTS AND RECOGNITIONS

As someone who emphasizes and promotes peace, Elias has received several awards and recognitions for his efforts in uniting two old foes. He is most known for receiving the Niwano Peace Prize (the Asian equivalent of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize), the Marcel Rudloff Peace and Tolerance Award, and the World Methodist Peace Award. He was also honoured by the French government by conferring him the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, one of the highest civilian awards in France. Having been nominated for the Nobel Prize three times, Elias truly proves himself one of the world’s leading peace advocates.

Elias is one of the most prominent Christian leaders in the Middle East and Asia, and is known worldwide for his efforts in promoting peace in Israel between the Israelites and Palestinian Arabs. He has authored two books, “Blood Brothers” and “We Belong to the Land”, both of which became successful and even had numerous prints in other languages for their compelling story of the life of Elias, from the time he was expelled from his own town to the founding of his school.

VALUING LIFE: ELIAS’ INSPIRATION IN CALLING FOR RECONCILIATION

A true advocate of peace and unity, Elias has always promoted the value of life, and this is what drives him in seeking a peaceful solution, no matter how difficult it may seem to be. In fact, Elias has for numerous times stated that he would rather have all the expensive weapons or things destroyed than to see a single drop of blood shed due to war, as he pointed out in an interview:

“I remember a Swiss professor who was angry at a PLO attack on a Swiss Air jetliner. ‘You Palestinians are welcome to throw bombs in Tel Aviv and Haifa and Jerusalem, but in Zurich, in a Swiss airplane, no!’ I told that Swiss friend, ‘I prefer that every Swiss airplane, if they are empty, be exploded rather than one Jew or Palestinian be wounded. The airplanes are not worth a single drop of human blood.’”

A TRUE CHRISTIAN: LOVING LIKE CHRIST DID

Elias is a Christian by heart, and as a true follower of Jesus Christ he shows no prejudice against people of other religions but instead welcomes them openly, contrary to some people who claim to be Christians but do not love others. Elias also does not care much about the sects; for him, being a believer means that he is able to represent Christ to other people by loving them and taking care of their needs.

As he says in an interview:

“To touch Jesus Christ, to have contact with him, is only possible through his living brothers, his living sisters, the community. We Christians in Galilee have a vocation to behave beyond all confessional and denominational boundaries, to try to behave as Christ behaved, to represent the living, risen Christ to all who come searching for him. We do not have to show you that we are reformed, or re-reformed, or not-yet-reformed, or Roman Catholic, or Orthodox. That should mean nothing to us here in Galilee. What means something is that the man of Galilee is risen and is still alive.”

In spite of the terrible experiences that Elias had with the Jews (who took his hometown, destroyed it and discriminated him for most of his life due to his Palestinian heritage), Elias truly exemplifies a Christ-like attitude by remaining friendly and loving to every Jewish people that he has met. As he says in an interview:

“Life is simple, you know. Life is not what bullets shall make it. At the grassroots remain individuals who can pray together, who are acquainted together. Jews come to my home like my Palestinian friends come. They are welcome as well as my brothers and my relatives. I greet them, I salute them, I love them; we agree to disagree agreeably. At least this is big progress.”

All in all, Elias is a true example not just of what it means to be a Christian, but what it means to be a person. Throughout his life, Elias has remained to be a peaceful and loving person, treating everyone equally and helping everyone in need, no matter what their background may be. He is a true hero, someone that deserves our respect, admiration and support.

“I believe that that foolish man of Galilee, Jesus Christ, had something to tell us, to tell me. Not considering his existence here, I would immediately go into despair. Immediately. And forgetting him, I would first despair of the institutional church and its hierarchy, and only later, of the Jews.” – Elias Chacour

Archbishop Elias Chacour

Thanks to http://www.thextraordinary.org/elias-chacour

WHY ELIAS CHACOUR IS EXTRAORDINARY

Elias Michael Chacour is the current Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the largest Christian community in Israel. He is most famous for his work in uniting Israelites and Arabs in an effort to encourage them to live peacefully together. He is also the founder of the Mar Elias High School, a multi-cultural school that houses students from all religious backgrounds.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND RECOGNITIONS

As someone who emphasizes and promotes peace, Elias has received several awards and recognitions for his efforts in uniting two old foes. He is most known for receiving the Niwano Peace Prize (the Asian equivalent of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize), the Marcel Rudloff Peace and Tolerance Award, and the World Methodist Peace Award. He was also honoured by the French government by conferring him the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, one of the highest civilian awards in France. Having been nominated for the Nobel Prize three times, Elias truly proves himself one of the world’s leading peace advocates.

Elias is one of the most prominent Christian leaders in the Middle East and Asia, and is known worldwide for his efforts in promoting peace in Israel between the Israelites and Palestinian Arabs. He has authored two books, “Blood Brothers” and “We Belong to the Land”, both of which became successful and even had numerous prints in other languages for their compelling story of the life of Elias, from the time he was expelled from his own town to the founding of his school.

VALUING LIFE: ELIAS’ INSPIRATION IN CALLING FOR RECONCILIATION

A true advocate of peace and unity, Elias has always promoted the value of life, and this is what drives him in seeking a peaceful solution, no matter how difficult it may seem to be. In fact, Elias has for numerous times stated that he would rather have all the expensive weapons or things destroyed than to see a single drop of blood shed due to war, as he pointed out in an interview:

“I remember a Swiss professor who was angry at a PLO attack on a Swiss Air jetliner. 'You Palestinians are welcome to throw bombs in Tel Aviv and Haifa and Jerusalem, but in Zurich, in a Swiss airplane, no!' I told that Swiss friend, 'I prefer that every Swiss airplane, if they are empty, be exploded rather than one Jew or Palestinian be wounded. The airplanes are not worth a single drop of human blood.'”

A TRUE CHRISTIAN: LOVING LIKE CHRIST DID

Elias is a Christian by heart, and as a true follower of Jesus Christ he shows no prejudice against people of other religions but instead welcomes them openly, contrary to some people who claim to be Christians but do not love others. Elias also does not care much about the sects; for him, being a believer means that he is able to represent Christ to other people by loving them and taking care of their needs.

As he says in an interview:

“To touch Jesus Christ, to have contact with him, is only possible through his living brothers, his living sisters, the community. We Christians in Galilee have a vocation to behave beyond all confessional and denominational boundaries, to try to behave as Christ behaved, to represent the living, risen Christ to all who come searching for him. We do not have to show you that we are reformed, or re-reformed, or not-yet-reformed, or Roman Catholic, or Orthodox. That should mean nothing to us here in Galilee. What means something is that the man of Galilee is risen and is still alive.”

In spite of the terrible experiences that Elias had with the Jews (who took his hometown, destroyed it and discriminated him for most of his life due to his Palestinian heritage), Elias truly exemplifies a Christ-like attitude by remaining friendly and loving to every Jewish people that he has met. As he says in an interview:

“Life is simple, you know. Life is not what bullets shall make it. At the grassroots remain individuals who can pray together, who are acquainted together. Jews come to my home like my Palestinian friends come. They are welcome as well as my brothers and my relatives. I greet them, I salute them, I love them; we agree to disagree agreeably. At least this is big progress.”

All in all, Elias is a true example not just of what it means to be a Christian, but what it means to be a person. Throughout his life, Elias has remained to be a peaceful and loving person, treating everyone equally and helping everyone in need, no matter what their background may be. He is a true hero, someone that deserves our respect, admiration and support.

“I believe that that foolish man of Galilee, Jesus Christ, had something to tell us, to tell me. Not considering his existence here, I would immediately go into despair. Immediately. And forgetting him, I would first despair of the institutional church and its hierarchy, and only later, of the Jews.” – Elias Chacour

10 REASONS WHY ELIAS CHACOUR IS EXTRAORDINARY

1. Father Elias Chacour is the first Palestinian-Arab to become the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.
2. He is the founder of the Mar Elias High School, one of the largest all-cultural schools in Israel.
3. He is a recipient of the prestigious Niwano Peace Prize, considered to be Asia’s Nobel Prize.
4. He had numerous negative experiences with the Jewish people yet continues to treat them with love and equality.
5. He is among the leading educational and peace activists in Israel and the Middle East.
6. He is a recipient of the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, one of the highest honours that the French government can bestow on a civilian.
7. His persistent attitude has enabled the Mar Elias High School to succeed in its operation in spite of the numerous obstacles and threats that he faced.
8. He describes himself as a Palestinian-Jewish-Christian.
9. He is one of the leading figures in the reconciliation of Israel and Palestine.
10. He is a recipient of the Marcel Rudloff Peace and Tolerance Award.

Get to know Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra's Bio

Deepak Chopra was born on October 22, 1946 in Srinagar, India. His father, Krishan Chopra, was a cardiologist who served as the dean of a local hospital. His grandfather was also a doctor. His younger brother, Sanjiv, is in the medical profession as well.

Although as a teenage Deepak thought of pursuing other careers, like thatof actor or journalist, he eventually followed in his family footsteps. After attending St. Columba's School in New Delhi, he then graduated from the All India Instituteof Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

He immigrated to the US in 1968, and began his clinical internship and residency training atMuhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield, New Jersey. He then went on to work as a resident at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts and then at the University of Virginia Hospital.

Medical Credentials

Chopra was awarded his license to practice medicine in the state of Massachusetts in 1973, and his California medical license in 2004. He is board-certified in internal medicine, with a specialization in endocrinology.
Chopra taught at Tufts University and later at Boston University Schools of Medicine, before going into private practice. He then was appointed Chief of Staff at the New EnglandMemorial Hospital in Massachusetts, and Chief at Boston Regional Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Transcendental Meditation

Chopra learned about the Transcendental Meditation technique in 1981, and embraced it. He studied the technique under Ayurvedic physician Brihaspati Dev Triguna in Delhi, India.
In 1985, Chopra met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who invited him to study Ayurveda. Chopra eventually left his position at the New England Memorial Hospital to become the founding president of the American Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. He would later be named medical director of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center for Stress Management and Behavioral Medicine.

In 1993, he became executive director of the Sharp Institute for Human Potential and Mind–Body Medicine, a position he would retain until 1996.

Chopra Center for Well Being

In January 1994, he left the Transcendental Meditation organization, and spent the next two years developing plans for his own Chopra Center for Well Being. In 1996, he left the Sharp Institute as well, and he and David Simon founded this center, in La Jolla, California. It is located on the grounds of the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
In 2006, Chopra teamed with Richard Branson (of Virgin Galactic and Virgin Airlines) to launch Virgin Comics LLC. The purpose of the company had been to "spread peace and awareness through comics and trading cards that display traditional Kabalistic characters and stories." However, the company closed in 2008, after having produced 17 different comics series, and about 18 trade paperback collections and 3 hardcover titles.
Chopra has written more than 45 books, which have been translated into 35 languages and sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. His first book, published in 1987, is entitled Creating Health. His best-selling book is Ageless Body, Timeless Mind (1993).

He is a member of the American Medical Association (AMA), a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
He continues to live in California with his wife, and his two adult children live nearby. 

Why is Mata Amrtitanandamayi is extraordinary?

A great story I found from Tumblr. 

Amma is what people call Mata Amritanandamayi Devi because her embrace is like that of a mother. She comforts people by just hugging them and stroking their back. It’s hard not to melt in her arms because of the overflowing acceptance and compassion one can palpably feel when hugged by the hugging saint. She’s said to have given more than 30 million people hugs. Some of her hugging events would go on for almost 24 hours. But through it all, Amma remains resolute without any hint of impatience. She’s got that unlimited love flowing from within her, touching the lives of the people who come to her just to experience a moment in her arms. To view the full story of Mata Amritanandamayi visit  http://extraordinarypeopleonline.tumblr.com/post/64097397129/mata-amritanandamayi

MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI

Thanks to http://thextraordinary.org/mata-amritanandamayi

WHY MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI IS EXTRAORDINARY

Amma is what people call Mata Amritanandamayi Devi because her embrace is like that of a mother. She comforts people by just hugging them and stroking their back. It’s hard not to melt in her arms because of the overflowing acceptance and compassion one can palpably feel when hugged by the hugging saint. She’s said to have given more than 30 million people hugs. Some of her hugging events would go on for almost 24 hours. But through it all, Amma remains resolute without any hint of impatience. She’s got that unlimited love flowing from within her, touching the lives of the people who come to her just to experience a moment in her arms.

PERSEVERING AMIDST SCANDALS

Amma’s compassion for every human being regardless of age, status, gender, and religion has earned the ire of many conservative sects. Many times her life was threatened by those who want her dead to keep her from “corrupting” their conservative religion and culture.

Amma’s brother almost had her killed when she was just starting her vocation. Her assailant, however, wasn’t able to touch her and was overcome by seizures. She knew the man would die so she visited him in the hospital to tell him that he was forgiven. The man repented and died peacefully. As she became Amma eventually, two deranged men have attempted to stab her to no avail.

Asked if she is scared, this is all she said:

"All those who are born will die one day. I am going ahead keeping this reality in mind. I will carry on. I will continue to give darshan to the devotees coming here to meet me."

AN AWARD-WINNING MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND SPIRITUAL FIGURE

Amma stopped going to school when she was nine years old so she could tend to her siblings while her mother was sick. But that did not keep the State University of New York to award her an honorary doctorate in humane letters. Aside from the Hindu Renaissance Award, Amma also received the Care & Share International Humanitarian of the Year Award in 1998, the Karma Yogi of the Year and the Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence by The World Movement for Nonviolence in 2002, the Mahavir Mahatma Award and the Centenary Legendary Award of the International Rotarians in 2005, the Philosopher Saint Sri Jnaneswara World Peace Prize and the James Parks Morton Interfaith Award in 2006, the Le Prix Cinéma Vérité in 2007, and the first Vishwaretna Purskar (Gem of the Word Award) by Hindu Parliament in 2013.

Even though she does not speak any language besides Malayalam, her native tongue, she was always invited to deliver inspiring messages in international events.

THE SUCCESS OF HER MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI MATH FOUNDATION

Amma does not charge when she goes from one country to another to give hugs. But the donations they are getting amount to staggering figures. This enabled her to donate millions to victims of catastrophes around the world and even to establish schools, a hospital, and orphanages.

Some people get inspired by her life that they took it upon themselves to put up humanitarian organizations that help those who are in need. This, in itself, is an achievement for Amma who calls people to stop and reflect. She also keeps reiterating people to love, love, and love in spite of and despite anything:

“A human being can become almost like a breathing, moving computer, if he doesn't have a loving and compassionate heart. Respect that is devoid of love and based on fear will close your heart and turn you into a human machine. If you obey your teacher or your parents only out of fear and respect, it is no more than feeding information into a computer. It can go blank at any time, because there is no love to hold and support it.” (Source: Amrita.edu)

10 REASONS WHY MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI IS EXTRAORDINARY

1. She has given more than 30 million people hugs.
2. She is a living saint to Hindu people.
3. She has lived all her life serving other people. She stopped school at nine years old to look after her siblings and do all the chores in the house.
4. She received an honorary doctorate in humane letters at The State University of New York.
5. She founded the Mata Amritanandamayi Math Foundation which established schools, a hospital, and orphanages in India.
6. Her Center has branches in Canada, England, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Finland, Argentina, Brazil, Reunion Island, Japan and Singapore.
7. Her followers come from all walks of life and denominations. Some high profile ones include Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia, US senator Larry Pressler, and Jr. Martin Luther King’s daughter Yolanda King.
8. She is a sought-after speaker, invited to speak to thousands of people in international events.
9. She once served as the President of the Hindu Faith.
10. Some of her awards include the Hindu Renaissance Award, Karma Yogi of the Year, the Care & Share International Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the first Vishwaretna Purskar (Gem of the Word Award) by Hindu Parliament.