# Murugan Chillayah

Murugan Chillayah, also known as Guruji Murugan (Tamil: குருஜி முருகன், Sanskrit: गुरुजी मुरुगन) (born November 22, 1978), is a Malaysian Indian of Tamil ancestry who is a teacher of several Indian traditional arts, a yoga guru, and a spiritual leader.
He is referred to as Guruji (honorific). He was initiated as a guru in 1996, during Arrangetram (the debut performance in public for Indian traditional arts) in Sri Subramaniar Temple, Malaysia. Since then, he has been teaching traditional yoga that carries out educational and spiritual activities such as pranayama, meditation, and asana, which are integrated with Silambam, Kuttu Varisai, and Varma Kalai.
In 2014, Murugan took part in the Upanayana rite of passage ceremony. He has been initiated as a Brahmacharya and took vows of renunciation, with the ceremony conducted to adopt the Sannyasa pathway in Rishikesh, India. He is the founder and chairperson of the Silambam Asia, World Silambam Association, and World Yoga Association. Guruji also advocates and leads many international initiatives for the Indian Traditional Arts of 5R (Research, Revive, Rejuvenate, Restore, and Retention) in partnership with United Nations SDGS programs, United Nations SDGS Action Campaign for Yoga, United Nations SDGS Action Campaign for Silambam and many others.

## Biography
### Education

Murugan Chillayah attended a government school, both primary school and secondary school, in Subang Jaya, with a curriculum equivalent to Cambridge GCE O Level, and left Malaysia to study a Diploma in International Business Management at IBMEC, a private business college in Somerset, Singapore, but never completed it because of a constricted working schedule in the Police Force. Thereafter, Murugan took a specialized course in doping sciences under the supervision of Professor Fabien Ohl, dean of the faculty of social and political sciences at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He also resumed his studies by pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business at the University of People in California, USA.

## Founding the Silambam Asia

On November 22, 1999, the primary name of Silambam, which originated from the ancient Tamil Nadu state of India, was documented by Guruji Murugan Chillayah to become the official organization name to provide Indian traditional arts and sports for education, health, fitness, culture, nature, climate change, recreation, and dissemination work. The name, Silambam, was legally registered and recognized as a formalized organization after receiving security clearance approval from the Regulatory Authority.
It was followed by the formation of Silambam Asia (Tamil: சிலம்பம் ஆசியா) (IAST: Silambam Āsiyā), registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs (JPPM) in Malaysia with members from twelve countries on the Asia continent and officially recognized by the United Nations, which has expanded and grown further throughout the Asia continent and worldwide. Subsequently, Silambam Asia, in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, aims to preserve and safeguard the Indian traditional arts, sports, culture, and educational content within Silambam at the regional or continental level.

## Founding the World Silambam Association

It was followed by the formation of the World Silambam Association (Tamil: உலக சிலம்பம் சங்கம்) (IAST: Ulaka Cilampam Caṅkam), which was established with the Ministry of Home Affairs (JPPM) in Malaysia and is rapidly expanding to preserve and safeguard the essence of Silambam worldwide, being registered by Guruji Murugan Chillayah to become the official organization name to provide Indian traditional arts and sports for education, health, fitness, culture, nature, climate change, recreation, and dissemination work. The World Silambam Association (WSA) was officially recognized by the United Nations and is in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

## Founding the World Yoga Association

The World Yoga Association (Tamil: உலக யோகா சங்கம்) (IAST: Ulaka Yōkā Caṅkam) was established with the Ministry of Home Affairs (JPPM) in Malaysia to conserve the traditional practice of yoga, propagate its benefits, and preserve and safeguard the essence of traditional yoga worldwide. Their programs aim at relieving stress and imparting peace. The main teachings include traditional meditation, asana training, and yoga teachers' training. In 2018, it was officially recognized in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for the program of Indian Traditional Arts: 5R (Research, Revive, Rejuvenate, Restore, and Retention) to provide Indian traditional arts and sports for education, health, fitness, culture, nature, climate change, recreation, and dissemination work.

## Teachings and philosophy
### Spirituality

He believes ancient science and spirituality are linked and compatible, which helps enhance human values such as self-realization, love, compassion, and discipline. It is not limited to any one religion or culture. He plans and carries out activities related to Indian traditional arts and sports for education, health, fitness, culture, nature, climate change, and recreational programs such as Silambam, Kuttu Varisai, Traditional Yoga, and Varma kalai for everyone regardless of age, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, or disability. His stated belief is that we share a spiritual bond between all living beings and nature, which is prominent in his programs by offering technical and practical tools to help accomplish this.

## Peace and humanitarian work
### United Nations Governance Policy Forum

He initiated a series of practical courses in spirituality, traveled to give talks, and arranged conferences in Malaysia and around the globe about Indian traditional arts and ancient science by bringing them into the education system and technology platform. He is also helping communities to set up several training programs and guiding them to reorganize training centers for better exposure for communities worldwide. In 2018, he traveled to UNESCO's head office in Paris, France, for the United Nations Governance Policy Forum, in a greater good effort to convey Indian traditional arts, culture, and practices to get into the technology platform to boost dissemination work and visibility worldwide.

### Signatory for international human rights

As a world already wracked by multiple crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, other health crises, education or illiteracy problems, and escalating climate change, the conflict in Ukraine is tearing through fragile communities, causing displacement and loss of homes and livelihoods, especially for children, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
He was involved with civil society groups as a signatory from the five continents of the world working together for a peaceful, just, sustainable, and prosperous world, jointly participating in the call for a negotiated solution to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine as promptly and swiftly as possible by including an immediate cessation of hostilities against civilians and the removal of Russian military forces and weaponry from Ukraine, coupled with an agreed statement and provision of security assurances by and for all parties. He supports the call on member states to remember the founding vision of the United Nations and its Security Council, to deliver and avoid any kind of war that may cause the suffering of humankind or nature, and to meet the 2030 Agenda, which sets out a path towards a peaceful, fair, sustainable, and prosperous world.
The humanitarian and economic crisis triggered by the pandemic is threatening the well-being of billions of people and risks derailing the global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and react to the escalating climate emergency. To ensure that development aid is not diverted but reinforces humanitarian response to the crisis and to ensure that emergency responses are aligned with developing country priorities without conditionality. Guruji Murugan on behalf of Silambam Asia, World Silambam Association, World Silambam Association together with several organizations has signed for call on governments to commit to implement the recommendations and highlighted in the Finance Ministers meeting at the United Nations on 8 September 2020, while abiding by the human rights framework, to ensuring gender equality and, environmental integrity.