Prem Rawat (Prem Pal Singh Rawat) whose devotees call him Maharaji (meaning Ultimate Ruler) first came to attention in the West as Guru Maharaj Ji - the self-proclaimed Perfect Master and Lord of the Universe ridiculed in the media as a fat, squeaky-voiced God boy. He had inherited his titles and position as the Satguru, The True Revealer of Light and Spiritual Master of the Divine Light Mission, India (Divya Sandesh Parishad) when his father died in 1966. His father, Hans Rawat, was a successful Indian guru, self titled HRH (His Royal Highness) Yogiraj Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj. As a child the youngest Rawat son was informally called Sant Ji, more formally Balyogeshwar ("Born King of the Yogis") and even more formally Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Sant Ji Maharaj. In the West Rawat dropped these more verbose titles in the early 1980's and instructed his followers to call him Maharaji. He has also changed the names of his organisations many times: Divine Light Mission (DLM), World Welfare Association (WWA), World Peace Corps (WPC) and Divine United Organisation (DUO) became Elan Vital in the early 1980's and in 2001 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) was created and from 2010 his major orgs are Words Of Peace Global (WOPG) registered in Holland, Words of Peace International (WOPI) in the USA, HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) in Great Britain and Raj Vidya Kender (Royal Knowledge Society) in India. He no longer claims to be an Incarnation of God but an internationally famous humanitarian leader and teacher of peace. He's neither.

Biographical Sketch
Member of Parliament
XI Lok Sabha

MAHARAJ, SHRI SATPAL
A.I.I.C.(T) - GARWHAL (UTTAR PRADESH)


Father's Name	:	Late Shri Hansji Maharaj

Date of Birth	:	21 September 1951

Place of Birth	:	Kankhal in Distt. Haridwar (Uttar Pradesh)

Marital Status	:	Married on 8 February 1981

Spouse's Name	:	Smt. Amrita Rawat

Children	:	Two sons

Educational Qualifications :
	Senior Cambridge
	Educated at St. George's College, Mussoorie 
	(Uttar Pradesh)

Profession :
	Agriculturist, Political and Social Worker

Permanent Address :
	13, Municipal Road, Dehradun (Uttar Pradesh) 
	Tel. (0135) 654514,
	Fax 652364

Positions held :

March 1991-Sept. 1994	Member, Executive Committee, P.C.C.(I),
	Uttar Pradesh
March 1992-Oct. 1994	Member, A.I.C.C.(I)
Feb. 1994-Feb. 1995	Convener, Mahatma Gandhi 125th 
	Anniversary Celebration Committee, 	Uttar Pradesh
Oct. 1995-Dec. 1996	Vice-President, Indira Congress Committee (Tiwari), 
	Uttar Pradesh
Jan. 1996-Dec. 1996	President, Indira Congress (Tiwari), Uttarakhand
1996	Elected to Lok Sabha (Eleventh)
July 1996-June 97	Union Minister of State, Railways
June 1997 onwards	Union Minister of State, Finance

Books published :
	(i) "Manav Dharma"; (ii) "Adhyatma Aur Vigyan";
	(iii) "Bharat Sone ka Desh Bane"; (iv) "Science and Spirituality"; 
	(v) "Dharma for Man"; and (vi) "The Secret Knowledge"

Literary, Artistic and Scientific Accomplishments :
	Encouraging writers, poets, historians and others who 
	are active in the field of fine arts for the advancement 
	of the culture and folk arts of Uttarakhand

Social and Cultural Activities :
	Notable contribution in protecting and preserving the ancient 
	cultural heritage and in providing assistance to students, 
	sportspersons and women; relief to the victims of 
	natural calamities-floods, earthquakes, droughts and hailstorms 
	in various parts of the country; propagated national unity, 
	integrity and religious harmony by organising conferences in 
	various parts of the country

Special Interests :
	Extending the latest computer technology, desk top printing and 
	latest scientific advancements to the masses and eradication of 
	superstitions, untouchability and other social evils

Favourite Pastime and Recreation :
	Travelling, swimming and reading

Sports and Clubs :
	Badminton

Countries Visited :
	Widely travelled

Election result of :

Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency
Total Electorate	4,76,961
Total Votes polled	4,23,910
Votes polled in favour of the
first four leading candidates :
(1) Shri Satpal Maharaj 		[A.I.I.C.(T)] 1,63,528
(2) Shri Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri 	(B.J.P.)      1,48,508
(3) Shri Kunwar Singh Negi 		(I.N.C.)	47,870

Prem Rawat's "Knowledge" has three parts: regularly listening to his speeches, doing voluntary work for organisations serving him or donating money and daily meditation correctly practicing the four techniques he recommends. The techniques are so simple it's hard to see how they could be practiced incorrectly. First technique ("Divine Light") involves sticking your thumb and middle finger on your eyeballs (NB: with eyes closed) and your index finger between your eyebrows. Second technique: ("Heavenly Music") poking your thumbs into your ears and listening. Third technique: ("Holy Name") thinking about your breathing (NB: continue to breathe). Fourth technique: ("Nectar") curling your tongue backwards and tasting. Rawat's father taught slightly different techniques but either way it's difficult to see how these could produce the benefits claimed for them especially as Rawat claims His Knowledge is the only method of attaining real happiness and love in this life.