Asian Media Group hosted a leadership and wellbeing event in London on Wednesday (10), bringing together senior figures from government, healthcare, business, faith organisations and community groups for discussions on meditation, conscious leadership and personal wellbeing.
The event, titled "The Inner Compass: Leadership Dialogue and Himalayan Meditation Experience", featured H.H. Shree Shivkrupanand Swamiji, founder of Samarpan Meditation, and was held at The Bhavan London.
Attendees included General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Vice Chief of Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence; Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association; Cllr Praveen Rani, Mayor of Hertsmere; Cllr Tushar Kumar, Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood; and Cllr Yogesh Teli, Mayor of Harrow, alongside representatives from local government, healthcare, interfaith organisations, charities, media and community groups.
The programme opened with a Vedic prayer led by Dr M.N. Nandakumara MBE, executive director of The Bhavan, followed by a cultural presentation, "Adi Yogi", by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, founder of the Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence. The event was hosted by Emma Dolman, head of the Standards and Testing Agency at the Department for Education.
H.H. Shree Shivkrupanand Swamiji guiding participants through the Himalayan Meditation Experience.Asian Media Group
Dr M. N. Nandakumara MBE, Executive Director of The Bhavan London, delivering a Vedic Prayer for World Peace.Asian Media Group
Organisers said the gathering formed part of a wider initiative by Asian Media Group aimed at creating platforms for dialogue among policymakers, professionals, community leaders and the public on issues relating to leadership, wellbeing and social cohesion.
The keynote address was delivered by Shivkrupanand Swamiji, who spoke about the challenges of modern life, including stress, anxiety and increasing social pressures. He said meditation offers a means of self-discovery and greater awareness of one's thoughts, emotions and values.
Drawing on the Himalayan meditation tradition, Swamiji told the audience that peace and fulfilment are found through inner awareness rather than external achievements. He emphasised the concept of "Chitta", or conscious awareness, and encouraged participants to adopt a regular meditation practice.
"Can we not give 30 minutes to ourselves every day?" he asked.
Swamiji also discussed his views on the human aura, describing it as an energy field influenced by thoughts, actions and karma. He said meditation and self-awareness could help strengthen this inner energy.
Ceremonial lamp-lighting marking the inauguration of the event. L to R: Mahesh Liloriya, Cllr Yogesh Teli (Mayor of Harrow), Paramhans Yogi Abhinav Ji, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, Gopaljeet Singh Bhachu, and Dr M. N. Nandakumara MBE.Asian Media Group
A recurring theme of the address was the importance of living in the present moment. According to Swamiji, meditation enables individuals to move beyond concerns about the past and future and develop greater clarity and balance.
He also described meditation as a practice that transcends religion, nationality and ideology, presenting it as a universal human experience that can contribute to emotional wellbeing, resilience and leadership development.
Following the address, attendees took part in a guided meditation session led by Swamiji.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session covering topics including self-awareness, mental wellbeing, spiritual development, leadership and the practical application of meditation in daily life.
During the evening, Asian Media Group and the Solanki family presented Shivkrupanand Swamiji with the title "Global Champion of Conscious Leadership and Meditation", citing his contribution to promoting meditation and wellbeing through the Samarpan Meditation movement.
Renowned cultural artist Ragasudha Vinjamuri presenting Adi Yogi – The First Yogi, a tribute to the origins of yoga and meditation.Asian Media Group
Community and faith leaders from a range of organisations also participated in a felicitation ceremony honouring Swamiji and Guruma. Among those taking part were Olivier Picard; Dr Bharat Shah CBE, founder of Sigma Pharmaceuticals; Mayors Praveen Rani, Tushar Kumar and Yogesh Teli; Deputy Mayor Mina Parmar; Dr M.N. Nandakumara MBE; Vinod Thakrar of The Bhavan; Paramhans Yogi Abhinav Ji of the Sanatan Spirituality Foundation; Gopaljeet Singh Bhachu of Harrow Interfaith; Harendra Singh Jodha of Rajasthan Association UK; representatives of the Mahavir Foundation; Shri Kunj Bihari Temple; the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre; Samarpan UK; and several business and community leaders.
Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of Asian Media Group, Mahesh Liloriya thanked participants, supporters and partner organisations, including The Bhavan London, Global Travel Solutions Pvt Ltd and the Samarpan Meditation UK team.
He said the event marked the start of a broader initiative by the media group to develop future programmes focused on leadership, wellbeing, spirituality and community engagement.
