The septuagenarian Dr Prasanna Kumar Patasani is a native of Odisha state in India. He is an author of more than 60 books, and also an educationist, politician, yoga expert and a philosopher. He was born on 27 April 1946 in Khurda, Odisha, India. When yoga and experiencing spiritual life was unfashionable and unknown, Patasani discovered Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (the developer of Transcendental Meditation, 1918-2008) and he lived in his ashram at Rishikesh in the Himalayan state of Uttarkhand. He learned Patasani learned the techniques of meditation and yoga ashanas and travelled extensively along with the Mahesh Yogi. He returned to his native state in 1980s, and devoted himself to establishing educational institutions and began to serve the people by entering into politics. According to one report, he went underground before 1980s for his alleged involvement with the Maoists, but he later embraced public life. He was consecutively elected undefeated to the state legislature (4 times) and to the Parliament of India (4 times). He was a follower Biju Patnaik the father of Naveen Patnaik who is the current Chief Minister of Odisha.
In an interview with www.monsoon2047.com, Dr Patasani talks about life and the secrets of life: the perils of constant usage of mobile phones, importance of simplicity, benefits of consuming turmeric, advantages of having a positive attitude (believing in affirmation, not negation), praying to gods and goddess for health (not for positions of power and authority) and how to reach a blissful state of mind. Listen to the podcast:
To this day, Dr Patasani carries with him a wand – a short stout stick wrapped in fabrics, which is a blessing wand from his guru. He is also credited for campaigning to make Odia language and Odia script as a classical language for it is more than three thousand years old.
Dr Patasani, born in 1946, he is a physically active man travelling extensively between Odisha, his home state, and New Delhi the capital of India. He practices yoga and spiritual life. According to him, spiritual wisdom, according to him, ‘Goddess Laxmi, the mistress of spiritual wisdom, teaches us to open our eyes to the wisdom residing within us and shut not our eyes to the light of wisdom from the sun of knowledge.’