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Hans India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
It would be a dream if he visits our ashram: Padma Shri Acharya Masetti ahead of PM Modi's Brazil visit
Rio de Janeiro: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues his five-nation tour, making his way from Argentina to Brazil, Padma Shri awardee and spiritual teacher Yogi Acharya Jonas Masetti expressed excitement over his upcoming interaction with the PM. 'In the next few days, I am going to meet Prime Minister Modi and we are going to do a reception with him and probably going to exchange views on how Vedic studies can be seen in better ways for the youth. How we can show that Vedic tradition can contribute to the Western pursuit of life,' Acharya Masetti said in a heartfelt statement, ahead of the meeting. He also expressed hope that the Prime Minister would visit his spiritual centre in Brazil. 'It would be a dream if the Prime Minister would visit our ashram and bless us,' he told IANS. Acharya Masetti, who has been a key figure in spreading Indian spiritual traditions, shared insights into the growing acceptance of Indian culture in Brazil. 'It's very nice to see that Brazil is open to spirituality, especially the kind that comes from India. There are many cultural similarities, and people here receive it as a great blessing, not as a religious pursuit, but as something spiritual and deeply profound,' he observed. Reflecting on his work, he said, 'The work in Brazil started 12 years ago, and it has been one year since we inaugurated Vishwa Vidya Gurukulam on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister last year.' The ashram now offers a long-term residential program: 'We have eight students enrolled in a long-term course, preparing to become teachers. They will stay here for three years and have already completed one year." "Additionally, we have around 2,000 to 3,000 students who study online and visit the ashram occasionally,' he noted. 'Yoga and Vedanta, they do practice. Students here practice yoga, do puja, learn Sanskrit and speak Sanskrit as well,' he added, highlighting the depth of Indian spiritual education being embraced in Brazil. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday, was warmly welcomed by the Indian community. His visit to Argentina is the first bilateral trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 57 years. After concluding engagements in Argentina, he will head to Brazil for the BRICS 2025 Summit, his fourth visit to the country.
News18
28-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Two Engineers, Two Paths: One Received Padma Shri, The Other Became 'IIT Baba'
Last Updated: Jonas Masetti's evolution reflects a structured path rooted in rigorous study and humility while Abhay Singh's digital-first strategy seems spontaneous and unstructured. In an age where education and spirituality increasingly intertwine with digital culture, two engineers set out on spiritual paths shaped by old traditions. Yet, their journeys, while starting from similar foundations, led them to dramatically different ends. While one was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri, the other became a social media fame. Jonas Masetti from Brazil, now revered as Vedantacharya Vishwanath, was once a mechanical engineer trained at the Military Institute of Engineering in Rio de Janeiro and a former strategist in the stock market. Masetti's early life seemed to promise financial and professional success. But in 2003, drawn by a gnawing sense of spiritual emptiness, he turned toward Vedanta, an ancient philosophy rooted in introspection and inner discipline. Under the guidance of Gloria Arieira and later Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Masetti immersed himself in the guru-shishya tradition, spending four years at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore. What began as personal transformation soon became a mission. In 2014, Masetti returned to Brazil and founded the Vishwa Vidya Gurukulam in Petropolis, where he began teaching the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, Sanskrit, and spiritual practices to an ever-growing audience. Today, more than 1,50,000 students have been part of his vision. In 2025, he was awarded with the Padma Shri for his contributions to globalising Indian knowledge systems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in one of his Mann Ki Baat addresses, highlighted Masetti as a living testament to the transformative power of Indian culture. Clad in cotton attire, rudraksha beads, and bare feet – and profound in thought – Masetti exudes humility and conviction when he says, 'Vedanta is not a religion; it's an art of living." Clad in saffron robes with a smartphone in hand, Singh was seen making social media reels at the Kumbh Mela, posing for selfies, and offering knowledge with flair more suited to influencers than saints. His style made him a darling of meme pages and reels, especially among the youth. But with that fame came mockery – his sincerity often dismissed, his attire and the moniker 'IIT Baba' drawing more ridicule than reverence. What separates Singh's journey from Masetti's is perception – the way society gauges depth, presentation, and commitment. This juxtaposition raises a deeper question: What defines true spiritual recognition in today's world? Is it the depth of one's practice, or the way it's presented? Jonas Masetti's evolution reflects a structured path rooted in rigorous study and humility. His approach channels the ancient Vedic traditions through modern means, resonating deeply with both Eastern and Western audiences. In contrast, Abhay Singh's digital-first strategy seems spontaneous and unstructured, often blurring the line between spirituality and performance art. In the end, both figures symbolise different facets of India's cultural outreach. Masetti, the Brazilian Vedantin, reminds the world of the timeless relevance of wisdom. Singh, the viral 'baba', reflects a generation caught between authenticity and attention.
