Human Development through Self Knowledge (UK) Organisation

The Elan Vital organization in the United Kingdom changed its name to HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) at the end of 2009. HDSK understandably refers to Prem Rawat's "self-knowledge" though Rawat's so-called "techniques of medition" have mainly been referred to as "the Knowledge" though google searches now (2025) show slightly more references to Self-Knowledge.

HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) is a national "educational" charity which exists to promote the message of Prem Rawat in the UK without having to pay tax on the donated finances. It provides no real benefit to the British public.

In total Prem Rawat has undertaken almost 400 speaking engagements in the UK since 1971 speaking to 850,000 people with an average 2,100 attendees. His largest audience in the UK was at the Lingfield Race Course for the Guru Puja Festival in 1979 when over 12,000 attended. At the Glastonbury Faire of 1971 he spoke to a crowd of 10,000 who didn't know who he was or why he was onstage, who couldn't understand anything he said and who booed him off. The organisers thought they were getting the famous Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

HDSK provides information about Prem Rawat (Maharaji), advertising and maintains databases and provides materials such as the Keys and arranges Key 6 Events aka Knowledge Sessions:

Examining the Annual Reports provides some information about how Rawat fares in the UK. The financial details show HDSK can be considered (actually if not legally) a subsidiary of WOPG. HDSK receives on average half a million pounds p.a. Since 2004 there has been around 3,500 UK premies who attend Rawat's speeches. If there has been recruitment it seems to have been matched by apathy and/or apostasy. Some special occasions attract 5,000. The extra are usually 'guests' presumably gathered through 'propagation' activities. Rawat only makes two speeches a year in the UK with a minor Hindi speech as well usually in Leicester or Birmingham. The level of local activities (see below) showing Rawat's videos was low and after 2009 the number was no longer even published. The Australian local community where I lived rented rooms and showed Maharaji's videos a minimum of 3 times a week or 150 a year.

The United Kingdom premies have been a miserably disappinting lot, unable to demonstrate the peace, love and bliss that Maharaji has always asserted it could, unable to create a vibrant and growing Family of Love but just stagnating in mediocrity. Are these the people who conquered a quarter of the world? No wonder he only gives 2 satsangs a year there. However it has inspired two revealing books about real life for premies in the UK: "The Museum of Lost and Fragile Things" by Suzanne Joinson and "A Wild Child's Escape" by Jane Whittingon.

Activities recorded in HDSK Annual Reports:

• 2025:
  • 9 Knowledge sessions and 11 Knowledge Review sessions.
  • Keys replaced by PEAK
• 2024:
  • Brighton - 5,000
  • 11 Knowledge sessions and 6 Knowledge Review sessions.
  • Prem Rawat attended 6 Knowledge Reviews with 235 people
• 2023:
  • 23 July London - 1081 attendees
  • 30 July Brighton - 1820 attendees for Hindi speakers
  • Prem Rawat attended 2 Knowledge Reviews
• 2022:
  • 28th May London - 1780
  • 17th June Glastonbury - 30 invitation only for "Key of Avalon" presentation
• 2021:
  • 17th June Birmingham - 584
  • 9th October Brighton - 1,467
  • 28th November Coventry - 600
• 2020:
  • 31st July Stanhill Court Hotel, Charlwood - 24
  • 2nd August Stanhill Court Hotel, Charlwood - 24
  • 12th September Stanhill Court Hotel, Charlwood - 21
  • 13th September Stanhill Court Hotel, Charlwood - 22
  • Attendance by invitation only due to the Covid-19 restrictions
• 2019:
  • 7th July Manchester Central Convention Complex - attendance 3,490
• 2018:
  • 12th May Brighton Centre - attendance: 3,313
  • 19th May Birmingham Bingley Hall - attendance: 783
  • 10th June London Lambeth College - attendance: 160.
  • Prem Rawat partners with Pastor Lorraine Jones to halt violent knife crime through PEP
• 2017:
  • 14th June Edinburgh Usher Hall 1690
  • 18th June Bournemouth International Centre - 3058
  • 21st June Belfast Waterfront - 1562
  • 24th June Brighton Centre - 2729
  • 30th June Nottingham Royal Concert Hall - 2,059
• 2016:
  • 17/18th June SSE Arena, Wembley - over 6,000
  • 15th June Leicester (Hindi) - 879 attendees. Hindi broadcasts discontinued
• 2015:
  • 7th June Brighton - 3,900 many first time attendees
  • 22nd June, Birmingham - 822 (Hindi)
  • 31 Key 6 and Key 6 review events
  • Words of Peace TV discontinued
• 2014:
  • 28th June Wembley Arena, London - 5,100 (3,600 pwks or aspirants, 1,500 new people)
  • 35 Key 6 and Key 6 review events
• 2013:
  • 15 Key 6 events, and 21 Key 6 review events
  • The objectives of the Charity are "to advance public education in the understanding and realisation of human potential through self-knowledge based upon the teachings of Prem Pal Singh Rawat k/a Maharaji"
  Financial summary

  Income

  Spending

  31 Dec 2025

  £368,073

  £392,606

  31 Dec 2024

  £215,598

  £560,977

  31 Dec 2023

  £493,480

  £585,016

  31 Dec 2022

  £2,319,649

  £399,258

  31 Dec 2021

  £546,884

  £561,393

  31 Dec 2020

  £346,841

  £339,953

  31 Dec 2019

  £482,060

  £472,466

  31 Dec 2018

  £400,843

  £416,460

  31 Dec 2017

  £537,348

  £529,155

  31 Dec 2016

  £414,228

  £469,986

  31 Dec 2015

  £202,214

  £196,058

  31 Dec 2014

  £149,488

  £165,024

  31 Dec 2013

  £185,427

  £192,660

  31 Dec 2012

  £248,419

  £289,551

  31 Dec 2011

  £358,636

  £310,711

  31 Dec 2010

  £364,479

  £375,0081
• 2012:
  • 18th June WOP Birmingham - 3225 pwk, 1075 guests
  • 35 Key 6 events, and Key 6 review events
• 2011:
  • Brighton - 4,000
  • Birmingham (Hindi) - 650
  • The organisers thought they were getting the famous Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
• 2010:
  • 17th July Metropol Hotel London - 2,000 arrived, 1,500 got in
  • 18th July Newcastle - 700
  • July Birmingham - 700
• 2009:
  • 23rd July Bristol - 3,600
  • 25th July Cheltenham
  • Birmingham
  • 500 local events
• 2008:
  • 25th April 2008 Leicester Hinkley Island Hotel 388
  • 25th April 2008 Leicester Athena 1445
  • 27th April 2008 Torquay Riviera Conference Centre 1522
  • 5th July 2008 ICC Birmingham 2774
  • 7th July 2008 Royal Concert Hall Glasgow 1332
  • 31st July 2008 Assembly Rooms Derby 1400
  • 840 local events
• 2007:
  • 1st June Guildhall, London. Key to the City of London, cost £25,000
  • 21st/22nd July Birmingham - 3,500
  • 820 local events
• 2006:
  • 9th July Brighton - 4,000 (many guests)
  • Birmingham - 1,000 (Hindi)
  • 1,033 pwk registered for the 'Keys'
  • 586 guests registered for the 'Keys'
  • 980 local events

• 2005:
  • 28th June Wembley Arena, London - 5,000
  • 28th July Oxford - 450. Rented room at Oxford University, pretence that Rawat was invited by the University academic administration
  • 1,000 registered for 'the Keys'
  • 1,352 local events in over 160 locations
  • 35 Key 6 and Key 6 review events
    
    
• 2004:
  • 26th June Birmingham - 4,000
  • 27th June Birmingham - 2,000
  • 3rd July London - 4,200
  • 4th July London - 400
  • 5th July Gatwick - 200
  • 4,000 local events

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1016818 - HDSK

Date of registration: 28 Jan 1993

Other names: ELAN VITAL (Old Name)

Governing document: Trust Deed Dated 22 October 1991 As Amended By Resolution Dated 31 December 2009

Organisation type: Standard Registration

Registration history: 28 January 1993 registered

Charitable objects: To advance the education in the understanding and realization of human potential through Self-knowledge based upon the teachings of Prem Pal Singh Rawat K/a Maharaji.

Area of benefit NOT DEFINED