Prison inmates teach stress relief programs to other prisoners

 

30 prison inmates serving their jail-term from Bangalore Central Jail met with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at The Art of Living International Centre

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Bangalore, India, June 9, 2013

Thirty prisoners who are currently serving jail sentences provide a new ray of hope to other prison inmates in Karnataka by conducting trauma and stress relief programs of The Art of Living.

These thirty inmates met with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarto seek his guidance on how to expand  the transformation programs in other prisons across the state.

“These 30 inmates, having received the leadership training, have been instrumental in transforming lives of over 2,500 inmates across seven  prisons in Karnataka  in Bangalore central Jail and prisons in Bidar, Bellary, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Dharwad, Mysore,” said Shri Nagaraj, Project Director, Prisons programs for Karnataka.

Inspiring them to continue the good work, Gurudev said, “We should work towards building trust abringing about human values in people.”

Lauding the efforts of The Art of Living, Shri S Ravi IPS, Deputy Inspector General, State Police said, “Their transformation is comprehensive. We have seen a lot of difference in the general well-being of prisoners through these programs. They were habitual offenders but once they were transformed through The Art of Living programs, they became more productive and their all round personality changed. Further, they were imparted skill training. Now they would be absorbed in society easily without any social stigma. The training, which empowered them as yuvacharas (youth volunteers) set off a chain reaction wherein they began training other inmates.”

Sharing his experience, Mohan Kumar, an inmate said, “After the program, I felt the pent-up stress of 12 years disappear. Yoga and meditation brought immense willpower in me. My outlook towards life changed and my mind became more focused.  I was given the responsibility of managing meals for  all 4,000 inmates in the jail. Training other inmates makes me happy and satisfied when I see the change in them.”

Seeking guidance from The Art of Living Founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar were the 30 prisoners of Bangalore Central Jail who have been transforming lives of prison inmates across seven prisons in Karnataka.

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