Abhidevananda: Difference between revisions

* 1971-1972 In early 1971, at the age of 20, Abhidevananda was initiated into [[Ananda Marga]] by Ac. Raghaw Prasad in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Later that year, Abhidevananda met his Guru, [[Shrii Shrii Anandamurti]] (<abbr title="Also known as">aka</abbr> Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar and Baba) in [[:wikipedia:Patna|Patna, Bihar, India]]. A few months later, in early 1972, Baba gave Abhidevananda his first [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] name, Abhiik Kumar.

* 1973-1978 Abhidevananda was posted in charge of Ananda Marga throughout Australasia. In that capacity, he spread yoga and meditation around the region and started numerous service projects, mostly in Australia. Perhaps most notable among Abhidevananda's service projects in Australia were several primary schools, two secondary schools, and the first Ananda Marga land project outside of India (near Stanthorpe in Queensland). In Australia, Abhidevananda also started a national magazine called ''Dharma''. Abhidevananda also produced a much appreciated, Australasian newsletter for Ananda Marga, called ''Pranam''. Under Abhidevananda's guidance, [[Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha]] became influential in many alternative movements throughout Australasia but especially in Australia.<ref>National Archives of Australia. [http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx Government Reports on Ananda Marga in Australia]</ref>

* 1973-1978 Abhidevananda started the ''Free Baba'' campaign, aimed at securing Baba's honorable release from an Indian prison. Abhidevananda remained a leading figure in that movement until the release of Baba from jail, after acquital, in 1978.<ref>The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). [http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data_collections/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=252 Terrorist Organization Profile: Ananda Marga]</ref>

* 1978-1982 Abhidevananda organized sports outings across Europe and later launched national social movements around the continent (a movement for republicanism in England, a movement for the unification of Germany, and some independence (anti-Communist) movements in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia).

* 1982-1990 Abhidevananda spread yoga and meditation around Africa, primarily in Nigeria and Zimbabwe. In 1989, Abhidevananda organized a major relief operation in Zambia after torrential rains there. Appreciating Abhidevananda's work, the Government of Zambia appointed him as the official liaison between the government and all of the NGOs involved in the relief operation. That relief operation was also appreciated by Baba, who designated it as the standard for all [[AMURT|AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team)]] relief operations around the world. Later that year, Abhidevananda wrote the official "AMURT Relief Organizer's Handbook", published by Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha.<ref >{{cite book|title=Relief Organizer's Handbook|author=Ac. Abhidevananda Avadhuta|date=1989}}</ref> Since then, Abhidevananda has remained involved with AMURT globally.

* 1991-1993 Abhidevananda helped organize the global structure for AMURT.

* 1994-2016 Abhidevananda spread yoga and meditation around the Middle East, primarily in Israel. Currently, he resides mostly in Israel.