page_title: Prem Rawat
section_title: 1960s
hierarchical_section_title: Prem Rawat / History / 1960s
caption_attribution_description: Prem Rawat arriving for the first time to Los Angeles, United States, July 17, 1971. He was known then as Guru Maharaj Ji, a title he dropped in the 1980s. Nowadays he is called Maharaji by his students.
context_page_description: Prem Pal Singh Rawat, born 10 December 1957, is an Indian American also known as Maharajji, and formerly as Guru Maharaj Ji and Balyogeshwar. Rawat's teachings include a meditation practice he calls "Knowledge", and peace education based on the discovery of personal resources such as inner strength, choice, appreciation and hope.
  Prem Pal Singh Rawat is the youngest son of Hans Ram Singh Rawat, an Indian guru and the founder of the Divya Sandesh Parishad. After his father's death, eight-year-old Prem Rawat became the new "Satguru". At age 13 Prem Rawat traveled to the West, soon taking up residence in the United States. Many young adults took interest in the claim that Prem Rawat could impart direct knowledge of God to his followers, and some have said to have experienced it. Many news media were perplexed by his youth and claims of divine status, and he was criticized for a lack of intellectual content in his public discourses, and for leading an opulent lifestyle. At the same time, internally the movement made a point of focusing on non-intellectual domains of spiritual practice.
context_section_description: Prem Pāl Singh Rawat was born in Haridwar, northern India, on 10 December 1957, the fourth and youngest son of guru Hans Rām Singh Rawat and his second wife, Jagat Janani Mata Shri Rajeshwari Devi. Prem Rawat attended St. Joseph's Academy elementary school in his hometown of Dehra Dun. At the age of three he began speaking at his father's meetings, and at six his father taught him the "techniques of Knowledge." His father died in 1966, and during the customary 13 days of mourning his mother and senior officials of the organization discussed the succession. Both his mother, Mata Ji, and eldest brother, Satpal Singh Rawat (known then as Bal Bhagwan Ji, and currently as Satpal Maharaj), were suggested as potential successors, but before either could be nominated, Prem Rawat addressed the crowd of mourners, reminding them that their master was immortal and was still among them. In response, his mother, brother and the senior disciples accepted Prem Rawat as their Satguru, bowed to his feet and received his blessing. Previously known to his father's followers as Sant Ji, Prem Rawat now assumed the title "Guru Maharaj Ji" and was called "Balyogeshwar" by others (roughly "born saint" or "born lord of Yogis") on account of his youth and spiritual precocity. From that time, Prem Rawat spent his weekends and school holidays traveling as his father had, addressing audiences on the subject of Knowledge and inner peace. Because of his youth, effective control of the DLM was shared by the whole family.
  During the 1960s, Westerners in India searching for spiritual guidance met members of his father's Divine Light Mission and a few became initiates or premies (from the Hindi prem, meaning "love".) British initiates invited him to visit the West, and in 1969 he sent one of his closest Indian students (known as Mahatmas) to London to teach on his behalf. In 1970, many of his new Western followers flew to India to see him, and were present at India Gate, Delhi, when, still only twelve years old, he delivered an address known as the "Peace Bomb," which marked the start of his international work.
caption: Arriving in the US, Prem Rawat at Los Angeles Airport
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