Event Overview
The Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD) will mark the 60th birthday of its founder, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, with a two‑day gathering at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on September 25 and 26, 2026.
Initiative Announcement
During the opening session on Friday evening, SRMD will announce 60 new initiatives, split evenly between spiritual programmes (30) and selfless‑service projects (30). The celebration, titled “Aho Gurudev,” comprises three sessions spread over the two days and expects thousands of devotees from 23 countries.
Atmarpit Diksha Ceremony
On Saturday, the day of the founder’s birthday, eleven young, educated devotees from various parts of the world will take Atmarpit Diksha, a lifelong vow of celibacy and dedication to spiritual practice and service.
Cultural Programme
The Saturday evening programme will feature a musical on the founder’s life, scripted and performed by approximately 600 devotees and enhanced with LED projections. A commemorative coffee‑table book on his life will be released worldwide, and a new service project will be inaugurated.
Founder Background
Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji was born in Mumbai on September 26, 1966. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy with a gold medal and earned a doctorate from the University of Mumbai in 1998 for a treatise on Shri Atmasiddhi Shastra, a work by Jain philosopher Shrimad Rajchandraji.
Organisation History and Reach
SRMD was founded in 1994 and established its headquarters at Dharampur, South Gujarat, in 2001. The mission now operates through 136 centres across six continents.
Impact Figures
According to SRMD, its spiritual and service work has touched more than 42 million lives globally. Its healthcare initiatives have treated 16.4 million people in rural areas, while its educational activities have benefited over 3.4 million students. Emergency‑relief work has reached 8.9 million people, and animal‑care initiatives have tended to more than five lakh (500,000) animals. The mission’s hospital at Dharampur is the only one in the area performing paediatric open‑heart surgeries, and its District Early Intervention Centre has treated over 1.1 million children. Under “Mission Africa,” the organisation operates in 16 countries and provides over 70,000 meals a day.
Global Celebration Tour
The Mumbai event launches a year‑long series of celebrations that will travel to Ahmedabad, Pune, Dubai, London and Toronto, concluding in September 2027.
United Nations Status
Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).